Number of decidual natural killer cells & macrophages in pre-eclampsia

The process of human placentation is complex and still not well understood. This study was aimed to examine the relationship between clinical features of pre-eclampsia and degree of trophoblastic invasion after its immunohistochemical visualization in the context of possible alterations in the number of natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages in the decidua. This prospective study included a study group comprising 30 pregnant women with pre-eclampsia delivered by caesarean section and a control group comprising 20 healthy pregnant women also delivered by caesarean section. Samples of placental bed obtained during caesarean section were analyzed after immunohistochemical labelling CD56 + NK cells, CD68 + macrophages and cytokeratin 7 trophoblastic cells. In pre-eclampsia, there was a significantly lower number of CD56 + NK cells in the decidua (P