Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2025 Jan;93(1):e70033.
doi: 10.1111/aji.70033.

Role of Decidual Natural Killer Cells in the Pathogenesis of Preeclampsia

Shuang Yue  1 , Jinlai Meng  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Role of Decidual Natural Killer Cells in the Pathogenesis of Preeclampsia

Shuang Yue et al. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2025 Jan.

Abstract

Preeclampsia is one of the most severe obstetric complications, yet its pathogenesis remains unclear. Decidual natural killer (dNK) cells, the most abundant immune cells at the maternal-fetal interface, are closely associated with preeclampsia due to abnormalities in their quantity, phenotype, and function. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms by which dNK cells regulate extravillous trophoblast (EVT) invasion, promote uterine spiral artery remodeling, and maintain immune tolerance. Furthermore, it explores how disruptions in these mechanisms and changes in the decidual microenvironment alter dNK cell properties, driving the progression of preeclampsia. Understanding the mechanisms of dNK cells and identifying potential therapeutic targets may provide new insights for clinical intervention.

Keywords: decidual natural killer cells; extravillous trophoblast; immune; maternal‐fetal interface; placenta; preeclampsia.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. S. Rana, E. Lemoine, J. P. Granger, and S. A. Karumanchi, “Preeclampsia: Pathophysiology, Challenges, and Perspectives,” Circulation Research 124, no. 7 (2019): 1094–1112.
    1. A. Bokslag, M. van Weissenbruch, B. W. Mol, and C. J. de Groot, “Preeclampsia; Short and Long‐Term Consequences for Mother and Neonate,” Early Human Development 102 (2016): 47–50.
    1. A. C. Staff, C. W. Redman, D. Williams, et al., “Pregnancy and Long‐Term Maternal Cardiovascular Health: Progress Through Harmonization of Research Cohorts and Biobanks,” Hypertension 67, no. 2 (2016): 251–260.
    1. C. W. Ives, R. Sinkey, I. Rajapreyar, A. T. N. Tita, and S. Oparil, “Preeclampsia‐Pathophysiology and Clinical Presentations: JACC State‐of‐the‐Art Review,” Journal of the American College of Cardiology 76, no. 14 (2020): 1690–1702.
    1. E. A. Phipps, R. Thadhani, T. Benzing, and S. A. Karumanchi, “Pre‐Eclampsia: Pathogenesis, Novel Diagnostics and Therapies,” Nature Reviews Nephrology 15, no. 5 (2019): 275–289.

LinkOut - more resources