Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK; Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK.
Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK; Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK.
Cell Stem Cell. 2024 Feb 1;31(2):181-195.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.12.013. Epub 2024 Jan 17.
In humans, balanced invasion of trophoblast cells into the uterine mucosa, the decidua, is critical for successful pregnancy. Evidence suggests that this process is regulated by uterine natural killer (uNK) cells, but how they influence reproductive outcomes is unclear. Here, we used our trophoblast organoids and primary tissue samples to determine how uNK cells affect placentation. By locating potential interaction axes between trophoblast and uNK cells using single-cell transcriptomics and in vitro modeling of these interactions in organoids, we identify a uNK cell-derived cytokine signal that promotes trophoblast differentiation at the late stage of the invasive pathway. Moreover, it affects transcriptional programs involved in regulating blood flow, nutrients, and inflammatory and adaptive immune responses, as well as gene signatures associated with disorders of pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia. Our findings suggest mechanisms on how optimal immunological interactions between uNK cells and trophoblast enhance reproductive success.
在人类中,滋养层细胞平衡地侵入子宫黏膜蜕膜对于成功妊娠至关重要。有证据表明,这个过程受子宫自然杀伤 (uNK) 细胞调节,但它们如何影响生殖结局尚不清楚。在这里,我们使用滋养层类器官和原代组织样本来确定 uNK 细胞如何影响胎盘形成。通过使用单细胞转录组学定位滋养层和 uNK 细胞之间的潜在相互作用轴,并在类器官中对这些相互作用进行体外建模,我们确定了一种 uNK 细胞衍生的细胞因子信号,该信号可促进侵袭途径晚期的滋养层分化。此外,它还影响涉及调节血流、营养物质以及炎症和适应性免疫反应的转录程序,以及与子痫前期等妊娠疾病相关的基因特征。我们的研究结果表明了 uNK 细胞和滋养层之间最佳免疫相互作用如何增强生殖成功的机制。
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