Skip to main content
PMC home page
Clinical and Experimental Immunology logoLink to Clinical and Experimental Immunology
. 1985 Oct;62(1):121–127.

Natural killer cells in normal pregnancy: analysis using monoclonal antibodies and single-cell cytotoxicity assays.

C D Gregory, H Lee, G B Rees, I V Scott, L P Shah, P R Golding
PMCID: PMC1577408  PMID: 3864569

Abstract

Peripheral blood lymphocytes (nylon wool non-adherent) from healthy pregnant women and normal non-pregnant females were tested for natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity against K562 target cells both by 51Cr-release assay and single-cell cytotoxicity assay in agarose. The results indicated depression of NK cytotoxicity in pregnancy due to a decrease in the proportion of target-binding lymphocytes as well as a reduction in the lytic capacity of target-bound cells. The ability of active pregnancy-associated NK lymphocytes to recycle appeared to be unimpaired. Analysis of lymphocyte populations with monoclonal antibodies recognizing NK cell-associated antigens showed that the number of Leu-11+ lymphocytes was reduced in pregnancy. Enumeration of Leu-7+ cells and correlation of NK cell subpopulation data with cytotoxicity assay data suggest that pregnancy is associated with a reduction in the number of mature NK cells and probably also an inhibition of post-binding lytic activity.

Full text

PDF
121

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Abo T., Balch C. M. A differentiation antigen of human NK and K cells identified by a monoclonal antibody (HNK-1). J Immunol. 1981 Sep;127(3):1024–1029. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Abo T., Miller C. A., Balch C. M. Characterization of human granular lymphocyte subpopulations expressing HNK-1 (Leu-7) and Leu-11 antigens in the blood and lymphoid tissues from fetuses, neonates and adults. Eur J Immunol. 1984 Jul;14(7):616–623. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830140707. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Abo T., Miller C. A., Gartland G. L., Balch C. M. Differentiation stages of human natural killer cells in lymphoid tissues from fetal to adult life. J Exp Med. 1983 Jan 1;157(1):273–284. doi: 10.1084/jem.157.1.273. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Andersson L. C., Nilsson K., Gahmberg C. G. K562--a human erythroleukemic cell line. Int J Cancer. 1979 Feb;23(2):143–147. doi: 10.1002/ijc.2910230202. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Baines M. G., Pross H. F., Millar K. G. Spontaneous human lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity against tumor target cells. IV. The suppressive effect of normal pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1978 Apr 1;130(7):741–744. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(78)90001-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Barrett D. S., Rayfield L. S., Brent L. Suppression of natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity in man by maternal and neonatal serum. Clin Exp Immunol. 1982 Mar;47(3):742–748. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Billingham R. E. Immunobiology of the maternal-fetal relationship. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1981;70:63–75. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Bonavida B., Bradley T. P., Grimm E. A. Frequency determination of killer cells by a single-cell cytotoxic assay. Methods Enzymol. 1983;93:270–280. doi: 10.1016/s0076-6879(83)93049-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gregory C. D., Atkinson M. E. Large agranular lymphocytes: early non-specific effector cells in allograft rejection in the mouse. Immunology. 1984 Oct;53(2):257–265. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Julius M. H., Simpson E., Herzenberg L. A. A rapid method for the isolation of functional thymus-derived murine lymphocytes. Eur J Immunol. 1973 Oct;3(10):645–649. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830031011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kalland T., Campbell T. Effects of diethylstilbestrol on human natural killer cells in vitro. Immunopharmacology. 1984 Aug;8(1):19–25. doi: 10.1016/0162-3109(84)90053-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kolb J. P., Chaouat G., Chassoux D. Immunoactive products of placenta. III. Suppression of natural killing activity. J Immunol. 1984 May;132(5):2305–2310. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lanier L. L., Le A. M., Phillips J. H., Warner N. L., Babcock G. F. Subpopulations of human natural killer cells defined by expression of the Leu-7 (HNK-1) and Leu-11 (NK-15) antigens. J Immunol. 1983 Oct;131(4):1789–1796. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Nair P. N., Fernandes G., Onoe K., Day N. K., Good R. A. Inhibition of effector cell functions in natural killer cell activity (NK) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) in mice by normal and cancer sera. Int J Cancer. 1980 May 15;25(5):667–677. doi: 10.1002/ijc.2910250518. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Nemlander A., Saksela E., Häyry P. Are "natural killer" cells involved in allograft rejection? Eur J Immunol. 1983 Apr;13(4):348–350. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830130415. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Phillips J. H., Babcock G. F. NKP-15: a monoclonal antibody reactive against purified human natural killer cells and granulocytes. Immunol Lett. 1983 Mar;6(3):143–149. doi: 10.1016/0165-2478(83)90096-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Rubin P., Pross H. F., Roder J. C. Studies of human natural killer cells. II. Analysis at the single cell level. J Immunol. 1982 Jun;128(6):2553–2558. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Seaman W. E., Blackman M. A., Gindhart T. D., Roubinian J. R., Loeb J. M., Talal N. beta-Estradiol reduces natural killer cells in mice. J Immunol. 1978 Dec;121(6):2193–2198. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Steinhauer E. H., Doyle A. T., Reed J., Kadish A. S. Defective natural cytotoxicity in patients with cancer: normal number of effector cells but decreased recycling capacity in patients with advanced disease. J Immunol. 1982 Nov;129(5):2255–2259. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Tanaka K., Chang K. S. Modulation of natural killer sensitivity of murine trophoblast cells by tumor promoter and interferon. Int J Cancer. 1982 Mar 15;29(3):315–321. doi: 10.1002/ijc.2910290315. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Toder V., Nebel L., Elrad H., Blank M., Durdana A., Gleicher N. Studies of natural killer cells in pregnancy. II. The immunoregulatory effect of pregnancy substances. J Clin Lab Immunol. 1984 Jul;14(3):129–133. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Toder V., Nebel L., Gleicher N. Studies of natural killer cells in pregnancy. I. Analysis at the single cell level. J Clin Lab Immunol. 1984 Jul;14(3):123–127. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Zarling J. M., Clouse K. A., Biddison W. E., Kung P. C. Phenotypes of human natural killer cell populations detected with monoclonal antibodies. J Immunol. 1981 Dec;127(6):2575–2580. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Clinical and Experimental Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES