Circulating CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells and postoperative fertility in ovarian endometrioma

Zhi-Qin Liu, Mei-Yin Lu, Bin Liu
Scientific reports · 2020 · vol. 10(1) , pp. 18598 · doi:10.1038/s41598-020-75570-z · PMID:33122818 · PMC7596045 · W3095730897
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This study found that the number of circulating CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells predicts postoperative fertility in ovarian endometrioma patients.

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⚙ AI-generated deep summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This prospective study compared peripheral lymphocyte subsets in 33 women with ovarian endometrioma (OE) and 68 healthy controls, measuring CD4/CD8 T, NK, and γδ T cell populations by flow cytometry before surgery and following OE patients for postoperative fertility through December 2019. OE patients differed from controls in several baseline immune features, including altered helper T cell-related ratios and a lower count of CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells and γδ T cells, while the paper cautions that current postoperative fertility biomarkers were insufficient and that larger studies are needed. During follow-up, the number of circulating CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells was significantly associated with postoperative fertility status and remained a significant predictor in multiple COX regression models, and OE patients had a longer median time to successful pregnancy than controls. This paper is centrally about endometriosis—specifically ovarian endometrioma—and evaluates CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells as a biomarker of postoperative fertility outcomes.

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Abstract

The current biomarkers for postoperative fertility assessment caused by ovarian endometrioma (OE) are insufficient. The present study hypothesized that the peripheral lymphocyte subpopulation can be used as a candidate biomarker of postoperative infertility in OE. The association of the number of circulating CD4/CD8 T, NK, and γδ T cells with postoperative fertility was assessed in 33 OE patients aged 20 ~ 40 years between June 2018 and January 2019. Concomitantly, 68 healthy female subjects were recruited. The changes in the baseline immune characteristics between the two groups were compared. The data demonstrated significant differences in the ratio of CD4/CD8 T cells and the number of CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells and γδ T cells between OE patients and control subjects. The patients were followed-up till December 2019 and the number of CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells in the cases was a significant predictor for postoperative fertility as determined by different COX regression models (crude HR = 0.220, 95% CI = 0.059-0.822; adjusted HR = 0.127, 95% CI = 0.024-0.675). A significant delay to successful pregnancy was noted in OE patients (median time, 173 vs. 99 days, log-rank P = 0.013). The present findings suggested that CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells are a candidate biomarker of postoperative fertility in OE patients. Larger population studies are warranted.

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Condition tags

endometriosisendometriomainfertility

MeSH descriptors

CD56 Antigen Endometriosis Endometriosis Killer Cells, Natural NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K Ovary Adult CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes CD56 Antigen CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes Endometriosis Female Fertility Fertility Humans Intraepithelial Lymphocytes Intraepithelial Lymphocytes Killer Cells, Natural

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