English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Immunogenetic studies suggest that interactions between maternal killer Ig-like receptor (KIR) expressed by uterine NK (uNK) cells, and fetal HLA-C molecules on trophoblast, influence the success of human placentation. However, the exact functional response of fresh uNK cells to trophoblast HLA-C molecules is unknown. In this study, we show by quantitative RT-PCR and FACS that both activating and inhibitory KIR specific for HLA-C are expressed at higher levels and on an increased proportion of NK cells in the human decidua compared with blood. In contrast, expression of KIR3DL1/S1, which is specific for HLA-B, is similar in both NK cell populations. Remarkably, there is also a temporal change in the expression pattern of HLA-C-specific KIR, with a decline in both intensity of expression and frequency on uNK cells throughout the first trimester of pregnancy. This selective up-regulation of KIR has functional consequences because uNK cells show increased binding of HLA-C tetramers compared with blood NK cells. Ab cross-linking shows that these KIR are functional and results in increased cytokine secretion. uNK cells, therefore, exhibit a unique KIR profile that enhances their ability to recognize trophoblast cells expressing HLA-C at the materno-fetal interface. This is the first report to demonstrate selective regulation of KIR expression over time in vivo in a normal physiological situation and suggests that KIR expression by uNK cells is regulated by the tissue microenvironment in the decidua.

Killer Ig-Like Receptor Expression in Uterine NK Cells Is Biased toward Recognition of HLA-C and Alters with Gestational Age