Premium
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Women with Pre‐Eclampsia Have an Altered NKG2A and NKG2C Receptor Expression on Peripheral Blood Natural Killer Cells
Author(s) -
Bachmayer Nora,
Sohlberg Ebba,
Sundström Yvonne,
Hamad Rangeen Rafik,
Berg Louise,
Bremme Katarina,
SverremarkEkström Eva
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 1046-7408
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.2009.00724.x
Subject(s) - preeclampsia , immunology , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , peripheral blood , pregnancy , receptor , medicine , inflammation , tumor necrosis factor alpha , peripheral , endocrinology , in vitro , biology , biochemistry , genetics
Problem Preeclampsia, a pregnancy disorder, is associated with exaggerated inflammation and increased serum monokines. Uterine natural killer (NK) cells are implicated in preeclampsia pathology, but little is known regarding peripheral NK cells in the disease. Method of Study We examined blood NK cells at delivery in women with preeclampsia, in healthy pregnant women and in healthy non‐pregnant blood donors as a reference. Results Although the percentages of both NKG2A‐ and NKG2C‐positive NK cells were normal in preeclamptic women, the levels of NKG2A and NKG2C on NK cells were significantly up‐regulated in these women. In vitro stimulation of PBMCs from healthy pregnant women and blood donors with monokines resulted in increased percentage of NKG2A + NK cells and increased NKG2A levels, while levels of NKG2C were decreased. Conclusions Our results suggest that the peripheral NK‐cell pool is skewed in preeclampsia and possibly under the influence of monokines like interleukin (IL)‐15 and IL‐12.