Expression of cytotoxic granules in pNK cells from the fertile control and RM group
The total number of pNK cells and the expression of cytotoxic granules in pNK were measured in the fertile control and RM group. No significant differences were observed in the percentage of circulating CD3-CD56+ NK cells (13.4% ± 7.6%vs 14.2% ± 7.1%; Fig. 2A and B), granzyme B+(68.2% ± 11.6% vs 68.8% ± 14.5%, Fig. 2C and D), granulysin+(66.1% ± 11.4% vs 68.2% ± 14.4%, Fig. 2C and E) and perforin+ NK cells (62.3% ± 13.8% vs 64.3% ± 15.3%, Fig. 2C and F) between the fertile control and RM group. The mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of granzyme B reflecting its expression level in the pNK cells in the control group was significantly higher than that in RM group (27318.6 ± 3643.8 vs 23774.4 ± 8991.2, P = 0.04, Fig. 2C and G). However, the MFIs of granulysin (4756.5 ± 1370.7 vs 5043.5 ± 1578.0, P = 0.54, Fig 2C and H) and perforin (4454.8 ± 1243.9 vs 4972.4 ± 1426.4, P = 0.27, Fig 2C and I) in the pNK cells was not significantly different between the two groups.