NLRP7 Is Involved in the Differentiation of the Decidual Macrophages

Abstract

Macrophage polarization, regulated appropriately, may play important roles in successful pregnancy. In the face of the vital roles of decidua macrophages in pregnancy, it is insufficient to recognize the trigger of macrophage differentiation and polarization. We aimed to explore the link between the <i>NLRP7</i> gene and macrophage polarization in human deciduas. Here, we enrolled the endometrial tissues from eight pregnant women in the first trimester. We found that <i>NLRP7</i> was abundant in endometrial tissues and that <i>NLRP7</i> was expressed in decidual macrophages of the first-trimester pregnancy. <i>NLRP7</i> was predominately expressed in the decidual M2 macrophages, as compared with the M1 macrophages. Furthermore, our results suggest that <i>NLRP7</i> is associated with decidual macrophage differentiation. <i>NLRP7</i> over-expression suppresses the expression of M1 markers and enhances the expression of the M2 markers. Considering that <i>NLRP7</i> relates to decidualization and macrophage differentiation, we propose that <i>NLRP7</i> is a primate-specific multitasking gene to maintain endometrial hemostasis and reproductive success. This finding may pave the way for therapies of pathological pregnancies.