Peripheral Blood NK Cells Reflect Changes in Decidual NK Cells in Women With Recurrent Miscarriages

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<P><B>Citation</B> Park DW, Lee HJ, Park CW, Hong SR, Kwak-Kim J, Yang KM. Peripheral blood NK cells reflect changes in decidual NK cells in women with recurrent miscarriages. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010; 63: 173–180</P><P>Problem </P><P>We aimed to investigate if peripheral blood natural killer (pNK) cell levels are correlated with decidual NK (dNK) cell levels, and if chemokine expression has any role in dNK cell regulation.</P><P>Method of study </P><P>Decidual tissues of women having two or more miscarriages with normal karyotype were collected after miscarriage and an immuno-histochemisty study was made. pNK cells were evaluated using flow cytometric analysis.</P><P>Results </P><P>The %CD3<SUP>−</SUP>/56<SUP>+</SUP> and %CD3<SUP>−</SUP>/56<SUP>+</SUP>/16<SUP>+</SUP> pNK cells showed a significant correlation with mean number of CD56<SUP>+</SUP> dNK cells. The number of decidual CD16<SUP>+</SUP> cells was significantly higher in women with elevated pNK (≥15%) than that of normal pNK (<15%). The %CD3<SUP>−</SUP>/56<SUP>+</SUP> and %CD3<SUP>−</SUP>/56<SUP>+</SUP>/16<SUP>+</SUP> pNK cells showed an inverse correlation with duration of gestation. The CCL3<SUP>+</SUP> and CXCL12<SUP>+</SUP> cells were present in the decidua; however, staining intensity was not correlated with number of dNK cells.</P><P>Conclusion </P><P>The pNK cell levels reflect changes in dNK cell levels. This implicates that pNK cell level is a clinically useful marker to predict pregnancy outcome. Further study is needed to examine if elevated pNK cells enhance recruitment of dNK cells in the decidua.</P>