Uterine Natural Killer Cells in Perforin and β₂-Microglobulin Deficient Mice

Abstract

Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells have roles for immune responses at the feto-maternal interface in mice. We studied the effects of β₂-microglobulin (β₂m) and perforin on proliferation and differentiation of uNK cells in pregnancy, using β₂-microglobulin-deficient (β₂m^-/-) mice and perforin-deficient (P^-/-) mice. The cell population of uNK cells in the metrial gland of P^-/- mice was tended to be higher than the control B6 mice. The cell population of uNK cells in the metrial gland of β₂m^-/- mice was significantly increased at Day 12 of pregnancy comparing to B6 and P^-/- mice. On the other hand, the cell population of uNK cells in the decidua basalis of β₂m^-/- mice was tended to be lower than B6 and P^-/- mice. These results indicate that β₂m may be involved in proliferation of uNK cells in the metrial gland, and that β₂m may affect the maturation of uNK cells in the decidua basalis.