Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Aomori, Japan.
Am J Reprod Immunol. 2012 Apr;67(4):278-86. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0897.2012.01120.x. Epub 2012 Feb 26.
The regulation of uterine and circulating peripheral blood natural killer (NK) cells has been associated with reproductive immunology such as recurrent pregnancy losses, implantation failures, or preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy characterized by increased blood pressure accompanied by proteinuria and is a major cause of maternal and fetal mortality. Natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs) are unique markers, which regulate NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine production. The relation of NCRs to reproduction is not fully characterized yet. The different profile of NCRs expression may suggest presence of abnormal regulation of NK cell in women with reproductive failures. Pregnant women with preeclampsia carry immunological abnormalities of NCRs on peripheral blood NK cells during pregnancy. The lower expression of NKp46(+) NK cells in women with preeclampsia may account for the higher production of NK1 cytokine that is known as NK1 shift in pregnant women with preeclampsia. Evaluation of NKp46 on peripheral blood NK cells may be applicable to find the onset of preeclampsia. In this review, various expressions of NK cell surface markers including NCRs on NK cells, NK cell cytotoxicity, and production of cytokines and angiogenic factors by NK cells were reviewed in relation to preeclampsia.
子宫和循环外周血自然杀伤 (NK) 细胞的调节与生殖免疫学有关，如反复妊娠丢失、着床失败或子痫前期。子痫前期是一种妊娠高血压疾病，其特征是血压升高伴有蛋白尿，是孕产妇和胎儿死亡的主要原因。自然细胞毒性受体 (NCR) 是调节 NK 细胞细胞毒性和细胞因子产生的独特标志物。NCR 与生殖的关系尚未完全阐明。NCR 表达的不同谱可能表明在生殖失败的女性中存在 NK 细胞的异常调节。子痫前期孕妇在妊娠期间外周血 NK 细胞上存在 NCR 的免疫异常。子痫前期患者 NKp46(+) NK 细胞表达降低，可能导致已知的子痫前期孕妇中 NK1 细胞因子的产生增加，即 NK1 偏移。评估外周血 NK 细胞上的 NKp46 可能适用于发现子痫前期的发生。在这篇综述中，综述了与子痫前期相关的 NK 细胞表面标志物（包括 NCR）、NK 细胞的细胞毒性、细胞因子和血管生成因子的产生。
