Figure 4
From: NK cell-derived IL-10 is critical for DC-NK cell dialogue at the maternal-fetal interface
IL-10+ NK cells regulate placentation in FLT3 treated IL-10−/− mice. (A) Serum levels of sFlt-1 analyzed by ELISA derived from FLT3 treated IL-10−/− dams transferred or not with IL-10+ NK cells on ED13.5. (B) Tissue VEGF and Flt-1 expression on ED13.5, as analysed by qPCR. Data shown are mean values ± SEM derived from five to six mice per group each analyzed in duplicate. *p < 0.05 using the Tukey’s test. (C) Left panel: Representative trichrome-stained decidua sections of FLT3 treated IL-10−/− dams adoptively transferred or not with IL-10+ NK cells show the maternal vessels in the decidua basalis on ED13.5. Bar = 250 μm. Right panel: Quantification of the inner lumen-to-outer diameter ratio (LD/OD) of the spiral arterial walls recorded on ED13.5. A total of 24 vessels were analysed and derived from six dams per group. (D) Left panel: Representative photomicrographs of dual DBA-PAS stained sections of implantation sites from ED13.5 are presented. Bar = 50 μm; Right panel: The number of uterine NK cells associated with spiral arteries was scored. When NK cells were intramural, they were scored as vascular associated (va; arrows). Eight to ten sections/implantation sites were scored. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.001 analyzed by the Tukey’s test. Abbreviations: MLAp: mesometrial lymphoid aggregate of pregnancy; DB: decidua basalis; va: vascular associated; ta: tissue associated.
