JEG-3 Trophoblast Cells Influence ILC-like Transformation of NK Cells In Vitro
- Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Apr 14;26(8):3687. doi: 10.3390/ijms26083687.
- 1. Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology Named After D.O. Ott, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia.
- 2. Department of Immunology, Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education, First St. Petersburg State I. Pavlov Medical University, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia.
- 3. Saint-Petersburg Pasteur Institute, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia.
The uterine decidua contains NK cells differing in their characteristics from classical NK cells, as well as other populations of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). ILC differentiation depends on the active transcription factors: ILC1 is characterized by T-bet expression, ILC2 is defined by RORα and GATA3, ILC3 expresses RORγt and AhR. We analyzed in vitro the expression of Transcription Factors by NK cells in the presence of trophoblast cells and cytokines and changes in NK cell cytotoxic activity. We used NK-92 and JEG-3 cell lines, which we cocultured in the presence of IFNγ, IL-10, IL-15, and TGFβ. Then, cells were treated with antibodies to AhR, Eomes, GATA-3, RORα, RORγt, and T-bet and were analyzed. We determined NK cell cytotoxicity towards K562 cells. To characterize the functional state of trophoblast cells, we estimated their secretion of TGFβ and βhCG. We showed that in the presence of trophoblasts, the expression of the classical NK cell transcription factors-Eomes, T-bet, as well as RORα, regulating ILC2 differentiation, and AhR, participating in NCR+ ILC3 formation-decreased in NK cells. RORγt expression typical for NCR- ILC3 remained unchanged. IFNγ inhibited AhR expression. IL-10 stimulated an increase in the number of T-bet+ ILC1-like cells. Both IL-10 and IFNγ suppressed RORα expression by NK cells and stimulated TGFβ secretion by trophoblasts. After coculture with trophoblast cells, NK cells reduced their cytotoxicity. These results indicated trophoblast cell influence on the acquisition of ILC1 and ILC3 characteristics by NK cells.