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Mamma MIA! Decidual NK cells involved in fetal neurodevelopment
Norman Shreeve1, Francesco Colucci2
1Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK.
Maternal immune activation (MIA) can cause neurodevelopmental disorders, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. In this issue of Immunity, Bian et al. show that MIA triggers decidual NK cells to secrete granzyme B, which crosses the placenta and disturbs microglial homeostasis in the fetal brain, leading to abnormal neurodevelopment.
Maternal immune activation (MIA) can cause neurodevelopmental disorders, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. In this issue of Immunity, Bian et al. show that MIA triggers decidual NK cells to secrete granzyme B, which crosses the placenta and disturbs microglial homeostasis in the fetal brain, leading to abnormal neurodevelopment.

