Phenotypic Profile of Peripheral Blood NK Cells under Culturing with Trophoblast Cells and IL-15 and IL-18 Cytokines

Natural killer cells (NK cells) are innate immunity lymphocytes. NK cell differentiation is controlled by the cellular microenvironment and locally produced cytokines, including IL-2, IL-15 and IL-18. NK cells are present in various tissues, forming pools of tissue-resident NK cells, e.g., decidual NK cell pool. Peripheral blood NK cells (pNK cells) are considered a supposed source of cells for decidual NK cell differentiation. In the uterus, NK cells contact with trophoblast cells, which can affect their phenotype. Contribution of trophoblast cells and IL-2, IL-15 and IL-18 cytokines to the pNK cell phenotype regulation is scarcely studied. In this regard, the aim of our research was to evaluate the effect of trophoblast cells on the phenotype of pNK cells when cultured in medium with IL-2, IL-15, and IL-18. We used mononuclear cells obtained from peripheral blood of healthy non-pregnant women at their reproductive age, with regular menstrual cycle (n = 21). Mononuclear cells were cultured in presence of IL-2, and either of cytokines regulating NK cell differentiation (IL-15, or IL-18). JEG-3 cells were used as trophoblast cells. We evaluated expression of CD45, CD3, CD56, CD14, KIR3DL1, KIR2DL3, KIR2DL4, KIR2DS4, NKp44, CD215, CD122, CD127, NKG2D, KIR2DL1, NKG2C receptors by pNK cells. It was found that pNK cells cultured in presence of trophoblast cells (JEG-3 cell line) were characterized by lower intensity of CD56 receptor expression, compared to pNK cells cultured without trophoblast cells. These changes were detected upon culturing both in medium supplied by IL-15, and with IL-18. A reduced number of NKG2C+ pNK cells was detected in presence of JEG-3 trophoblast cells, compared to NK cells cultured without trophoblast cells in medium with IL-15. The detected changes in the CD56 and NKG2C expression by pNK cells in presence of trophoblast cells proved to be opposite to those previously detected for NK cells derived from NK-92 cell line. Along with trophoblast cells, the monocytes isolated among mononuclear cells and being affected by cytokines, can apparently influence the phenotype of pNK cells in the model system used. Since monocytes/macrophages are present in decidua, further research is required to study the effect of cytokines and cellular microenvironment, including monocytes, on pNK cells.

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