A. King et al., HUMAN DECIDUAL LEUKOCYTES DO NOT PROLIFERATE IN RESPONSE TO EITHER EXTRAVILLOUS TROPHOBLAST OR ALLOGENEIC PERIPHERAL-BLOOD LYMPHOCYTES, Journal of reproductive immunology, 30(1), 1996, pp. 67-74
The maternal leukocytes present in human decidua during the early week
s of pregnancy are composed of CD56(+) NK cells (similar to 80%), CD3(
+) T cells (similar to 10%), and CD14(+) macrophages (similar to 10%).
These leukocytes are present in large numbers at the implantation sit
e where trophoblast invades. The migrating extravillous trophoblast (E
VT) cells express HLA class I antigens HLA-G and HLA-C. To examine whe
ther EVT or other allogeneic cells are capable of inducing a local pro
liferative response in maternal decidual leukocytes, we have assayed [
H-3]thymidine incorporation by decidual leukocytes co-cultured with ir
radiated trophoblast or peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). No prolife
rative response was seen in decidual leukocytes either to trophoblast
or to PBL as stimulators. In addition trophoblast did not stimulate a
proliferative response in PBL. These findings indicate that extravillo
us trophoblast is not capable of initiating a classical immune respons
e at the implantation site.