Abstract
SummaryIn order to establish the role of natural killer cells in pre-eclampsia we measured the basal and interferon-stimulated activity of peripheral blood natural killer lymphocytes in 10 patients with severe pre-eclampsia. These activities did not differ from those in women with normal pregnancies (n=12), whereas the natural killer activity was reduced when compared to non-pregnant healthy women (n = 12). The natural killer activity was not related to immune complexes irrespective of whether the pregnancy was complicated by pre-eclampsia or not. Thus, pregnancy is accompanied by reduced natural killer activity, but natural killer cells do not play a role in the aetiology of pre-eclampsia. The reduced natural killer activity during pregnancy is not caused by circulating immune complexes.The natural killer cells represent one of the active immune surveillance systems in humans. During pregnancy the activity of these cells is depressed (Alanen and Lassila, 1982; Okamura ef al., 1984; Baley and Schacter, 19...
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