engleski

Tubal mucosa implantation site is characterized by infiltration of CD3+CD8 bright+ T cells and relative lack of NK cells

Ectopic pregnancy, an abnormal implantation of a functionally normal blastocyst, provides a good model for analyzing leukocyte subpopulations at non-physiologic implantation site during early gestation. Our aim was to analyze leukocyte subpopulations in tubal mucosa (at and away from the implantation site) and intrauterine decidua of women who had had ectopic pregnancy. Lymphocyte subpopulations were analyzed by immunohistology. A part of each mucosa was enzimatically digested and centrifuged on the Ficoll gradient. Mononuclear cells were single or double labeled for detection of T, B, NK and antigen presenting cell surface antigens and analyzed by flow cytometer. Lymphocytes of CD3+ and CD8+ phenotype predominated in frozen tissue sections of tubal mucosa. CD3+ cells was the major lymphocyte population in tubal mucosa (about 60%), but intrauterine decidua contained less then 10% of CD3+ cells. CD3+CD8 bright+ cells predominated over CD3+CD4+ cells within tubal lymphocytes, while they are almost equally present among intrauterine lymphocytes. Contrary to intrauterine decidua, the percentage of CD3-CD8dim+CD16-CD56bright+ NK cells was significantly lower within tubal lymphocytes. CD14+ macrophages were the most numerous antigen presenting cells, while CD19+ B lymphocytes, CD1a+ and CD83+ dendritic cells were presented in equally low percentages in each of examined sites. NK cells predominate in intrauterine mucosa resembling to decidua of normal early human pregnancy. Abundant number of CD3+CD8 bright+ lymphocytes and relative lack of NK cells in tubal mucosa seems to be insufficient for later placental development events in ectopic pregnancy.

T cells; NK cells; Decidua; Pregnancy

DOI: 10.1111/j.8755-8920.2004.00011.x