DESIGN:

In vitro study.

SETTING:

University hospital and research laboratory.

PATIENT(S):

Twenty healthy nonpregnant women.

INTERVENTION(S):

Detected the cytolytic activity of pbNK to K562 target cells; measured the expression of CD94/NKG2A and NKG2D on pbNK.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S):

Cytotoxicity of pbNK was detected by Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium. The expression of CD94/NKG2A and NKG2D receptor on pbNK cells were detected by flow cytometry.

RESULT(S):

The NK cell cytotoxicity and the expression of inhibitory receptor CD94/NKG2A during the proliferative phase (81.71 +/- 11.5, 86.6 +/- 9.0) was significantly higher than the secretory phase (60.16 +/- 19.2, 60.15 +/- 31.0). The NK cells cytotoxicity, after being treated with mifepristone and the expression of inhibitory receptor CD94/NKG2A on pbNK cells treated with 200 nmol/L mifepristone, were significantly increased. Mifepristone had no effect on the expression of activating receptor NKG2D.

CONCLUSION(S):

These data suggest that Mifepristone maybe exert its anti-implantation function by increasing NK cytotoxicity. The increasing NK cytotoxicity of mifepristone is not related to CD94/NKG2A and NKG2D. In the secretory phase down-regulated CD94/NKG2A, NKG2D, and NK cytotoxicity may benefit with embryo implantation.

Published Article