Dendritic cell (DC) and natural killer (NK) cell interactions are important for the regulation of innate and adaptive immunity, but their relevance during early pregnancy remains elusive. Using two different strategies to manipulate the frequency of NK cells and DC during gestation, we investigated their relative impact on the decidualization process and on angiogenic responses that characterize murine implantation. Manipulation of the frequency of NK cells, DC or both lead to a defective decidual response characterized by decreased proliferation and differentiation of stromal cells. Whereas no detrimental effects were evident upon expansion of DC, NK cell ablation in such expanded DC mice severely compromised decidual development and led to early pregnancy loss. Pregnancy failure in these mice was associated with an unbalanced production of anti-angiogenic signals and most notably, with increased expression of genes related to inflammation and immunogenic activation of DC. Thus, NK cells appear to play an important role counteracting potential anomalies raised by DC expansion and overactivity in the decidua, becoming critical for normal pregnancy progression.

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Objective From an evolutionary perspective, emotions emerged as rapid adaptive reactions that increase survival rates. Current psychobiology includes the consideration that genetic changes affecting neuroendocrine and neurotransmission pathways may also be affecting mood states. Following this hypothesis, abnormal levels of any of the aminergic neurotransmitters would be of considerable importance in the development of a pathophysiological state. Materials and Methods A total of 668 students from the School of Medicine of the University of Malaga (Average = 22.41 ± 3; 41% men) provided self‐report measures of mood states using POMS and GHQ‐28 questionnaires and buccal cells for genotyping 19 polymorphisms from 14 selected neurotransmitter pathways genes ( HTR1A; HTR2A; HTR2C; HTR3B; TPH1; SLC18A1; SLC18A2; COMT; MAOA; MAOB ) and neuroendocrine system ( AVPR1B; OPRM1; BDNF; OXTR ). Results MAOA rs3788862 genotype correlates with decreasing levels of Tension among females (beta = −0.168, p ‐value = 0.003) but it is neutral among males in this subscale. On the contrary, it correlates with lower GHQ‐28 depression scores among males (beta = −0.196, p ‐value = 0.008). Equivalently, SLC18A1 and HTR2A variants correlated with anger and vigor scores, only among males. From the neuroendocrine system, OPRM1 rs1799971 correlated increasing levels of female's Anxiety, depression and Social Dysfunction scores. Conclusion Our findings suggest that these polymorphisms contribute to define general population mood levels, although exhibiting a clear sexual dimorphism.

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