Natural Killer Cell Lysate Fractions Affect Trophoblast Cell Proliferation In Vitro

Placenta development is largely determined by the interaction of natural killer (NK) cells and trophoblast cells. Despite intensive research, the role of NK cells and methods for correcting their functional activity in reproduction remain controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of protein fractions of NK cell lysate on trophoblast cell proliferation in a model experiment in vitro. Chromatographic separation resulted in obtaining six cell lysate fractions with different sets of proteins (25–250 kDa). It was found that all the studied fractions stimulated trophoblast cell proliferation. Proliferation markers such as protein kinase B (AKT/PKB) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) were found in the protein fractions with molecular weights of 36–250, 29–66, and 47–62 kDa. The obtained data on the change in the proliferative activity of JEG-3 cells under the influence of the NK-92 cell lysate fractions hypothetically reflect the behavior of chorionic cells surrounded by NK cells in the event of their death under normal or pathological conditions caused by viral and bacterial infections, as well as other stress factors that lead to reproductive pathology.