Engraftment of Bone Marrow from Severe Combined Immunodeficient (SCID) Mice Reverses the Reproductive Deficits in Natural Killer Cell–deficient tgε26 Mice

• DOI: 10.1084/jem.187.2.217
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T16:49:30Z
• Authors: Marie-Josée Guimond; Baoping Wang; B. Anne Croy
• Keywords: Decidua

A large, transient population of natural killer (NK) cells appears in the murine uterine mesometrial triangle during pregnancy. Depletion (u) NK cells, recently achieved using gene-ablated and transgenic mice, results pathology. Pregnancies from matings homozygous T cell-deficient tg epsilon 26 mice have <1% normal uNK cell frequency, no development an implantation site-associated metrial gland, edematous decidua with vascular pathology that includes abnormally high vessel walls/lumens ratios. Fetal loss 64% occurs midgestation placentae are small. None these features seen pregnant mice. To confirm role deficiency reproductive deficits, transplantation females was undertaken bone marrow B scid/scid donors. Engrafted restoration population, induced gland differentiation, reduced anomalies decidual blood vessels, increased placental sizes, fetal viability at all gestational days studied (days 10, 12, 14). Thus, appear to critical functions pregnancy promote health, appropriate vascularization sites, size.