Expression And Distribution Of Delta-like Ligand1, Delta-like Ligand4and Natural Killer Cells In Villus, Placenta And Decidua

Objectives:To investigate the distribution and expression of delta-like ligands and the relation with decidual natural killer cells at different periods of pregnancy and spontaneous abortion in human.Methods:Observe the distribution of Dill, D114, CD56and CD16by the method of immunohistochemistry. Determine their expression in protein level respectively by western blot. Collect samples included villus tissues (n=17) of the first trimester of pregnancy (mean time8weeks), placenta tissues (n=10) at the moment of delivery (mean time39weeks), spontaneous abortion tissues (n=3), decidual tissues of pregnancy (n=23) and spontaneous abortion (n=2).Result:Dill and D114were mainly expressed in syncytiotrophoblast cells and cytotrophoblast cells in trophoblast cells, gland epithelial cells and cavity epithelial cells in decidua, but no expression of Dill and D114on connective tissues in all samples. But there were more expression of D114on decidual cells in spontaneous abortion than induced abortion. Furthermore, CD16+cells and CD56+cells were found around the gland epithelial cells with more expression of Dill and D114in decidua, and hardly any expression in villus and placenta. The result of western blot showed that the expression of Dll1was more than D114in villus and placenta, but it was less than D114in spontaneous abortion, and more CD56in induced abortion decidua while more CD16in spontaneous abortion deciduas. In addition, there were more D114, Notch3and CD16in spontaneous abortion decidua than induced abortion decidua.Conclusion:NK cells were mainly around the gland epithelial cells with delta-like ligands, and there were more D114, Notch3and CD16in spontaneous abortion decidua than induced abortion decidua. Our results suggested that notch signaling pathway, especially D114and Notch3, was involved in regulating the phenotype of NK cells in pregnancy.