engleski

Expression of apoptotic mediator granulysin in tubal ectopic pregnancy

INTRODUCTION: An apoptotic molecule, granulysin is found in uterine NK cells from normal early human pregnancy decidua and it is shown to regulate trophoblast invasion by induction of trophoblast apoptosis during abortions. The main focus of this study was to investigate the expression and distribution of granulysin in tubal ectopic pregnancy mucosal sites and peripheral blood (EP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The presence of granulysin was analyzed in tubal mucosa at and away from the implantation site, as well as in EP and normal human early pregancy decidua by immunohistology of parafin embeded tissues. Distribution of granulysin was investigated in EP mucosal mononuclear cells suspensions, obtained by enzimatic digestion and gradient density centrifugation, by multicolor immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The results were compared with garnulysin expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the same women. RESULTS: Rare granulysin positive cells were found in tubal mucosa at and away from the implantation site in comparison to abundant granulysin positive cells within EP and normal uterine decidua. In peripheral blood and tubal mucosa at and away from the implantation site the frequency of CD3-CD56+ NK cells were significantly lower, whereas the percentage of CD3+CD56- T cells was significantly higher in comparison to EP uterine decidua. In tubal mucosa and peripheral blood CD56+dim cells dominate over CD56+bright subset, whereas EP uterine decidua contain mostly CD56+bright cells. The percentages of granulysin expressing NK cells from reproductive mucosas were lower in comparison to peripheral blood NK cells. Furthermore, fewer granulysin positive cells were found in tubal mucosal NK cells than in EP uterine decidua, due to the fluctuation of granulysin within CD3-CD56+dim subset. CONCLUSION: Negligable expression of granulysin at tubal implantation site and particularly in tiny population of CD3-CD56+dim NK cells could allow the higher deegree of trophoblast invasion in tuball wall. Acknowledgement: The experiments were financed by Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sports Grants No. 0620402-0376 and No. 0620402-0379.

granulysin; ectopic pregnancy; decidua

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