Interactions of NK Cells and Trophoblast Cells. Methodological Aspects

• Published in: Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine Vol. 165; no. 4; pp. 548 - 553
• Main Authors: Mikhailova, V. A., Bazhenov, D. O., Belikova, M. E., Viknyanshchuk, A. N., Kogan, I. Yu, Sel’kov, S. A., Sokolov, D. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.08.2018; Springer
• Subjects: Adult; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cell Biology; Cell Proliferation - physiology; Cells, Cultured; Female; Humans; Internal Medicine; Ki-67 Antigen - metabolism; Killer cells; Killer Cells, Natural - cytology; Killer Cells, Natural - metabolism; Laboratory Medicine; Pathology; Pregnancy; Trophoblasts - cytology; Trophoblasts - metabolism; Young Adult; Ki-67; JEG-3; NK cells; proliferation; trophoblast
• ISSN: 0007-4888; 1573-8221
• DOI: 10.1007/s10517-018-4212-9

NK cells present in different organs differ by their functional characteristics, in particular, proliferative activity. For studying tissue-resident NK cells, tissue-specific microenvironment should be reproduced. In case of decidual NK cells, this microenvironment is created by trophoblast cells. We developed a method for evaluation of proliferative activity of peripheral blood NK cells in the presence of trophoblast cells. Proliferative activity of peripheral blood NK cells was evaluated by the expression of protein Ki-67 after culturing with JEG-3 trophoblast cells. This method allows evaluating the functional state of NK cells in microenvironment specific for the decidua.