Expression of Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors on and Intracellular Cytokine Production by NK Cells in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Problem: To determine the role of peripheral blood NK (pNK) cells in putative etiology of gestational diabetes, the expression of surface markers on pNK cells and the percentage of cytokine-producing pNK cells in women at 12 weeks of pregnancy with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were studied.

Method of study: Multicolor flow cytometry was used to analyze the expression of NK cell surface receptors (CD16, NKp46, and NKp30) and intracellular cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, TGF-β, and VEGF) in pNK cells (CD56(dim) and CD56(bright) ) at 12 weeks of pregnancy with GDM (n = 7) and non-GDM (n = 28).

Results: CD56(bright) /CD16(-) NK and CD56(bright) /NKp46(+) NK cell percentage were significantly lower in GDM women than that in non-GDM women. IFN-γ- and TNF-α-producing CD56(+) cells, respectively, were significantly high, while TGF-β- and VEGF-producing CD56(+) cells and CD56(bright) cells, respectively, were significantly low in GDM women.

Conclusions: Women with GDM possibly have abnormal NK cell function for the expression of surface receptors and cytokine production.

Keywords: IFN-γ; TGF-β; TNF-α; VEGF; peripheral blood NK cells.