Gene expression profiling of human NK cells

To investigate novel molecular signatures and transcriptional regulators of immature and mature human NK cells, we performed whole-genome microarray analysis on dNK cells (CD3−CD56+), cNK cells (CD3−CD56+), pNK cells (CD3−CD56+), CD56+ T cells (CD3+CD56+) and T cells (CD3+CD56−). dNK cells were purified from first-trimester deciduas. cNK cells were purified from cord-blood mononuclear cells. pNK, CD56+ T and T cells were purified from adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Samples were collected from healthy adult donors after obtaining informed consent according to the Ethics Committee of the University of Science & Technology of China. We performed human whole-genome microarray analysis on purified NK cells from normal human decidua during the first trimester of pregnancy, cord blood, and adult peripheral blood; peripheral CD56+ T cells and T cells were used as controls.