The immunological mechanisms that regulate abortion are largely unknown. Here, we found that a distinct subset of lymphocytes, V␣14 NKT cells expressing an invariant antigen receptor encoded by V␣14͞J␣281 and V␤7 segments, accumulated in the decidua during pregnancy and provoked abortion upon stimulation with ␣-galactosylceramide (␣-GalCer), a specific ligand for V␣14 NKT cells. The ␣-GalCer-mediated abortion was not observed in V␣14 NKT-, IFN-␥-, tumor necrosis factor ␣-, or perforin-knock-out mice and appeared to be due to the degeneration of embryonic trophoblasts mediated by the activated V␣14 NKT cells whose perforin-dependent killing and production of IFN-␥ and tumor necrosis factor ␣ were essential. The possible role of the decidual V␣14 NKT cells in the pathogenesis of abortion is discussed.

A pure yolk sac tumor (endodermal sinus tumor) of the dysgenetic gonad developed in a 23-year-old woman whose karyotype was mosaic 45X/46X + mar Turner's syndrome is reported. Molecular biological studies showed that the patient's DNA contained a fragment of Y chromosome. This case seems to be extremely rare case of developing a pure yolk sac tumor in a patient with mosaic Turner syndrome with a Y-chromosomal fragment.

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