Liquid Biopsy Analysis Unit, Health Research Institute of Santiago (IDIS), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca, Chile.
J Assist Reprod Genet. 2019 May;36(5):827-835. doi: 10.1007/s10815-019-01426-9. Epub 2019 Mar 7.
Pregnancy is a unique immunological situation in which a fetus-bearing paternal histocompatibility antigens can survive in a maternal environment without apparent rejection. To face this challenge, cells of the uterine immune system show characteristic changes in absolute number and composition during pregnancy. Particularly relevant to this process are uterine natural killer (uNK) cells and their cell surface receptors, killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs). The main purpose of this review is to outline the current body of knowledge on the involvement of KIRs in the complications of pregnancy. Implantation depends on the invasion of embryonic trophoblast cells into maternal uterine tissue and remodeling of the uterine spiral arterioles, which is essential for placental perfusion and successful pregnancy. The proper interaction between maternal KIRs and their ligands human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules, expressed by the extravillous trophoblast cells, is crucial in this process. KIRs are a complex family that includes both activator and inhibitory receptors. The activation profile is genetically determined in each individual and leads to diverse levels of functionality for NK and T cells on engagement with specific HLA class I molecules. An association between different KIR alleles and HLA molecules has been reported in pregnancy complications, supporting the idea of a relevant role of these receptors in successful pregnancy.
妊娠是一种独特的免疫状态，在此状态下，携带父系组织相容性抗原的胎儿能够在母体环境中存活而不被明显排斥。为了应对这一挑战，子宫免疫系统的细胞在妊娠期间在数量和组成上表现出特征性变化。与这一过程特别相关的是子宫自然杀伤（uNK）细胞及其细胞表面受体杀伤免疫球蛋白样受体（KIR）。本篇综述的主要目的是概述目前关于 KIR 参与妊娠并发症的知识体系。胚胎植入依赖于胚胎滋养层细胞侵入母体子宫组织和子宫螺旋动脉的重塑，这对胎盘灌注和成功妊娠至关重要。在这个过程中，母体 KIR 与其配体人类白细胞抗原（HLA）I 类分子之间的适当相互作用是至关重要的，这些配体由绒毛外滋养层细胞表达。KIR 是一个复杂的家族，包括激活和抑制受体。在个体中，激活谱是由遗传决定的，与特定 HLA I 类分子结合后导致 NK 和 T 细胞具有不同水平的功能。已经在妊娠并发症中报道了不同的 KIR 等位基因和 HLA 分子之间的关联，支持了这些受体在成功妊娠中具有重要作用的观点。
