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Review
. 2019 Jun 28:10:1397.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01397. eCollection 2019.

Features of Human Decidual NK Cells in Healthy Pregnancy and During Viral Infection

Nabila Jabrane-Ferrat  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Features of Human Decidual NK Cells in Healthy Pregnancy and During Viral Infection

Nabila Jabrane-Ferrat. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

The hallmark of human early pregnancy is the accumulation of a unique population of Natural Killer (dNK) cells at the main maternal-fetal interface, the decidua basalis. dNK cells play a crucial role in successful placentation probably by orchestrating the invasion of trophoblast cells deep into the decidua basalis and remodeling of the maternal spiral arteries. Recent advances in the field emphasize the importance of the local microenvironment in shaping both the phenotype and the effector functions of these innate lymphoid cells. Despite slow progress in the field, ex vivo studies revealed that dNK cells sense and destroy infected cells in order to protect the fetus from invading pathogens. In this review, we will discuss key features of dNK cells during healthy pregnancy as well as their functional adaptations in limiting pathogen dissemination to the growing conceptus. The challenge is to better understand the plasticity of dNK cells in the maternal-fetal interface. Such insights would enable greater understanding of the pathogenesis in congenital infections and pregnancy disorders.

Keywords: congenital infection; cytokines; decidual natural killer; pregnancy; receptor.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of the maternal-fetal interface. Floating chorionic villi are bathed in maternal blood within the intervillous space. A multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast (STB) outer cell layer covering the chorionic villi. STB layer serves for transport of nutrient and barrier function. A layer of cytotrophoblast cells (CTBs), underlines the STB. CTBs differentiate into extravillous trophoblast (EVTs) and invade the maternal decidua. Through the release of soluble factors (cytokines, chemokines, and proangiogenic factors), maternal decidual NK (dNK) cells participate actively in the attraction of invasive EVTs and remodeling of the spiral arteries. Invasive EVTs are also in contact with decidual macrophages (dM) and T cells. Fetal blood vessel (BV), mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), Hofbauer cells (fetal macrophage).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Role of the microenvironment in shaping NK cell phenotype and functions: cNK cells expressing activating isoforms of the NKp30 and NKp44 receptors (NKp30a, NKp44b) which endows them with cytotoxic function, can be converted into dNK like cells. Exposure to a combination of TGF-β, IL-15 and IL-18) drives the isoform expression profile toward regulatory profile (NKp30c, NKp44a,c), a hallmark of dNK cells. This conversion is associated with the switch from cytotoxic to “helper-like” or tolerogenic effector functions associated with major changes in the secretome. How micro-environmental changes during pregnancy disorders or congenital infection might influence the dNK cell plasticity and effector functions is still an open question.
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