The proportion of follicular fluid CD16+CD56DIM NK cells is increased in IVF patients with idiopathic infertility

One-fifth of all in-vitro fertilization (IVF) patients suffer from idiopathic infertility. A low fertilization rate is one of the most characteristic features of IVF in this group, probably caused by oocyte dysfunction. We speculate that an altered lymphocyte profile in follicular fluid (FF) may affect oocyte function and thus play a role in idiopathic infertility. Therefore, we compared levels of lymphocyte populations present in FF of 11 patients with idiopathic infertility (study group) with 29 patients in the control group, i.e. severe male factor infertility (n = 17) or tubal factor infertility (n = 12). Triple color flow cytometry was used to discriminate between T cells and NK cell subpopulations. In the idiopathic infertility group, a shift from T to NK cells was observed in FF as compared to the control group, caused mainly by a significant higher level of NK cells-20.3 and 13.6% (P < 0.05), respectively. This high level of NK cells was due to a rise of the CD16(+)CD56(dim) NK cell subset. In peripheral blood, the NK cell levels showed a similar although not significant trend (P = 0.08). As the CD16(+)CD56(dim) NK cell subpopulation is known for its cytotoxic properties, this subpopulation may negatively affect folliculogenesis and oocyte maturation, reflected by a diminished fertilization rate in the idiopathic infertility group. An altered lymphocyte profile in FF could therefore influence fertility in these patients. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.