Involvement of decidual Vα14 NKT cells in abortion

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.97.2.740
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T10:32:33Z
• Authors: Katsura Ito; Mika Karasawa; Tetsu Kawano; Takeshi Akasaka; Haruhiko Koseki; Yasunori Akutsu; Eisuke Kondo; Souei Sekiya; Kenji Sekikawa; Michishige Harada; Masakatsu Yamashita; Toshinori Nakayama; Masaru Taniguchi
• Keywords: Decidua

The immunological mechanisms that regulate abortion are largely unknown. Here, we found a distinct subset of lymphocytes, Vα14 NKT cells expressing an invariant antigen receptor encoded by Vα14/Jα281 and Vβ7 segments, accumulated in the decidua during pregnancy provoked upon stimulation with α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer), specific ligand for cells. α-GalCer-mediated was not observed NKT-, IFN-γ-, tumor necrosis factor α-, or perforin-knock-out mice appeared to be due degeneration embryonic trophoblasts mediated activated whose perforin-dependent killing production IFN-γ α were essential. possible role decidual pathogenesis is discussed.