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Menstrual Cycle Dependent Fluctuations in NK and T‐Lymphocyte Subsets from Non‐Pregnant Human Endometrium
Author(s) -
FLYNN L.,
BYRNE B.,
CARTON J.,
O'FARRELLY C.,
KELEHAN P.,
O'HERLIHY C.
Publication year - 2000
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.8755-8920.2000.430405.x
Subject(s) - menstrual cycle , cd8 , endometrium , biology , cd3 , endocrinology , population , flow cytometry , medicine , lymphocyte , t lymphocyte , immunology , follicular phase , andrology , hormone , immune system , environmental health
PROBLEM: To establish the relative proportions of endometrial lymphocyte subpopulations during the menstrual cycle.
METHOD OF STUDY: Lymphocytes were investigated by flow cytometry, during the early proliferative (EP), late proliferative (LP), early secretory (ES) and late secretory (LS) phases of the menstrual cycle.
RESULTS: Between the LP and LS phases, there was an increase in NK cells from 26.4% to 83.2% ( P =0.0017) of the CD45+ population. T cells decreased from 55.06% to 6.7% ( P =0.0017). Within the T‐cell population, CD8+ cells decreased significantly from 63.0% in the LP phase to 54.2% in the LS phase ( P =0.04). In contrast, potential regulatory populations such as double negative (DN) T cells CD3+CD4−CD8− and natrual T cells (NT) CD3+CD56+, increased significantly in the LS phase ( P =0.05; P =0.03). ΓΔ T cells, predominantly of the DN and NT phenotypes remained consistently low at all stages of the cycle (2.34%).
CONCLUSION: Endometrial lymphocyte fluctuations during the menstrual cycle may reflect hormonal regulation of maternal immunity, thereby promoting tolerance at the time of implantation.