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Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancing Reproductive Immunology with a Protocol for the Quantitative Evaluation of Endometrial Immune Cells
Published on: October 13, 2023
NK and trophoblast cells interaction: cytotoxic activity on recurrent pregnancy loss
Dmitriy I Sokolov1, Valentina A Mikhailova1, Alana O Agnayeva1
1Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution 'Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott' , Saint Petersburg , Russia.
Abstract:
The trial objective was to determine the peripheral blood NK cells cytotoxic activity effect on trophoblast cells at recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The investigation involved non-pregnant women with PRL in proliferating and secretory menstrual cycle phases (PMCPh and SMCPh, respectively); women of 6-7 weeks pregnancy with RPL in past medical history; healthy fertile non-pregnant women in PMCPh and SMCPh, women of 6-7 weeks physiological pregnancy, nulliparity healthy women with regular menstrual function in PMCPh and SMCPh. NK cells cytotoxic activity was determined using peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The target cells were JEG-3 line trophoblasts. It has been established that NK cells cytotoxic activity effect on trophoblasts is lower in SMCPh than in PMCPh in non-pregnant fertile women. The NK cells cytotoxic activity was higher in SMCPh than in PMCPh in non-pregnant women with PRL and also higher than the same value in SMCPh in non-pregnant fertile women. The increased NK cells cytotoxic activity values in SMCPh in women with RPL may be the reason for miscarriage.
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