title: The Residual Innate Lymphoid Cells in NFIL3-Deficient Mice Support Suboptimal Maternal Adaptations to Pregnancy.
abstract: Uterine NK cells are innate lymphoid cells (ILC) that populate the uterus and expand during pregnancy, regulating placental development and fetal growth in humans and mice. We have recently characterized the composition of uterine ILCs (uILCs), some of which require the transcription factor NFIL3, but the extent to which NFIL3-dependent cells support successful reproduction in mice is unknown. By mating Nfil3 (-/-) females with wild-type males, here we show the effects of NFIL3 deficiency in maternal cells on both the changes in uILCs during pregnancy and the downstream consequences on reproduction. Despite the presence of CD49a(+)Eomes(-) uILC1s and the considerable expansion of residual CD49a(+)Eomes(+) tissue-resident NK cells and uILC3s in pregnant Nfil3 (-/-) mice, we found incomplete remodeling of uterine arteries and decidua, placental defects, and fetal growth restriction in litters of normal size. These results show that maternal NFIL3 mediates non-redundant functions in mouse reproduction.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Selma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boulenouar
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, The Rosie Hospital , Cambridge , UK.
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Doisne
authors.affiliation: Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sferruzzi-Perri
authors.affiliation: Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Louise M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Gaynor
authors.affiliation: Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kieckbusch
authors.affiliation: Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balmas
authors.affiliation: Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Hong Wa
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, The Rosie Hospital , Cambridge , UK.
authors.forename: Shagayegh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Javadzadeh
authors.affiliation: Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Léa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Volmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, The Rosie Hospital , Cambridge , UK.
authors.forename: Delia A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hawkes
authors.affiliation: University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories , Cambridge , UK.
authors.forename: Keli
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Hugh J M
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.affiliation: Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Abigail L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Fowden
authors.affiliation: Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Graham J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.affiliation: Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moffett
authors.affiliation: Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Colucci
keywords: lymphocyte subpopulations; mouse models; placenta; pregnancy; uterine NK cells