Influence of atopic dermatitis on reproduction and uterine natural killer cells

Abstract

The causal relationship between severe allergic conditions and successful pregnancy remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate reproductive performance in an experimental mouse model of atopic disease (AD), and the appearance of uterine natural killer (uNK) cells that have crucial roles in placental formation was examined. In the NC/Nga pregnant mice with moderate skin allergic lesions and an 8.6-fold elevation of plasma IgE, significant differences were not detected in the reproductive indices of the number of normal fetuses, abortion rate and placental size. There were few uNK cells in the placenta of AD mice, and they showed a significant decrease regarding the immature subtype as compared with controls. These findings revealed that AD disturbs uNK cell differentiation and provides disadvantageous effects on placental formation, although it does not arrest the pregnancy process. It may be possible that specific immunological conditions behind AD operate favorably to recover the reproductive performance.

Fig. 1.

Plasma IgE levels in control and experimental groups. **: P<0.01.

Fig. 2.

Upper column: Thickness of placenta and each placental area (MG: metrial gland, DB: decidua basalis, PL: placental labyrinth). Lower column: representative photo of a placenta from each group. Zonation of each placental area is indicated. Scale bar=500 µm

Fig. 3.

Lectin staining of placenta at day 12 (A). DBA lectin reacts on the surface and cytoplasmic granules of uNK cells (arrowheads). Subtypes for uNK cell maturation were determined by cell size and degree of granular development. Scale bar=20 µm. Cell density of uNK cells at the metrial gland (B) and the decidua basalis regions (C). Open bar: control group; closed bar: experimental group. *: P<0.05.