Natural killer cells constitute 50–90% of lymphocytes in human uterine decidua in early pregnancy. Here, CD56bright uterine decidual NK (dNK) cells were compared with the CD56bright and CD56dim peripheral NK cell subsets by microarray analysis, with verification of results by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. Among the ∼10,000 genes studied, 278 genes showed at least a threefold change with P ≤ 0.001 when comparing the dNK and peripheral NK cell subsets, most displaying increased expression in dNK cells. The largest number of these encoded surface proteins, including the unusual lectinlike receptors NKG2E and Ly-49L, several killer cell Ig-like receptors, the integrin subunits αD, αX, β1, and β5, and multiple tetraspanins (CD9, CD151, CD53, CD63, and TSPAN-5). Additionally, two secreted proteins, galectin-1 and progestagen-associated protein 14, known to have immunomodulatory functions, were selectively expressed in dNK cells.

Interleukin (IL)-1β is a cytokine critical to several inflammatory diseases in which pathogenic TH17 responses are implicated. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome by microbial and environmental stimuli can enable the caspase-1 dependent processing and secretion of IL-1β. The acute phase protein serum amyloid A (SAA) is highly induced during inflammatory responses, wherein it participates in systemic modulation of innate and adaptive immune responses. Elevated levels of IL-1β, SAA, and IL-17 are present in subjects with severe allergic asthma, yet the mechanistic relationship between these mediators has yet to be identified. Herein, we demonstrate that Saa3 is expressed in the lung of mice exposed to several mixed Th2/Th17-polarizing allergic sensitization regimens. SAA instillation into the lungs elicits robust TLR2-, MyD88-, and IL-1-dependent pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation. Furthermore, SAA drives production of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-23, and PGE2, causes dendritic cell maturation, and requires TLR2, MyD88, and the NLRP3 inflammasome for secretion of IL-1β by dendritic cells and macrophages. CD4+ T cells polyclonally stimulated in the presence of conditioned media from SAA-exposed dendritic cells produced IL-17 and the capacity of polyclonally-stimulated splenocytes to secrete IL-17 is dependent upon IL-1, TLR2, and the NLRP3 inflammasome. Additionally, in a model of allergic airway inflammation, administration of SAA to the lungs functions as an adjuvant to sensitize mice to inhaled ovalbumin, resulting in leukocyte influx after antigen challenge and a predominance of IL-17 production from restimulated splenocytes that is dependent upon IL-1 receptor signaling.

In

HLA-G is a nonclassical class I MHC molecule with an unknown function and with unusual characteristics that distinguish it from other class I MHC molecules. Here, we demonstrate that HLA-G forms disulfide-linked dimers that are present on the cell surface. Immunoprecipitation of HLA-G from surface biotinylated transfectants using the anti-␤2-microglobulin mAb BBM.1 revealed the presence of an Ϸ78-kDa form of HLA-G heavy chain that was reduced by using DTT to a 39-kDa form. Mutation of Cys-42 to a serine completely abrogated dimerization of HLA-G, suggesting that the disulfide linkage formed exclusively through this residue. A possible interaction between the HLA-G monomer or dimer and the KIR2DL4 receptor was also investigated, but no interaction between these molecules could be detected through several approaches. The cell-surface expression of dimerized HLA-G molecules may have implications for HLA-G͞receptor interactions and for the search for specific receptors that bind HLA-G.