Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42764309›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

An endometrial immune atlas across the female menstrual cycle reveals lymphoid aggregates compromise pregnancy.

Lingtao Yang, Jing Yang, Yuye Li, Yiyi Su, Huan Ma, Songchen Cai, Meilan Mo, Lijun Ding, Chunyu Huang, Fenghua Liu and 28 more

Abstract read
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Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

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38 authors.

Lingtao Yang *Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen, China.
Jing Yang *National Institute for Data Science and Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Yuye Li *Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen, China.
Yiyi Su *Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Huan Ma *Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0214-7247
Songchen CaiShenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen, China.
Meilan MoShenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen, China.
Lijun DingCenter for Reproductive Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6330-7945
Chunyu HuangShenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen, China.
Fenghua LiuCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
Aiping QinReproductive Medicine Department, The Reproductive Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0185-7204
Alexandra P BielfeldDepartment of Obstetrics, Gynecology and REI (UniKiD), Medical Faculty, Medical Center University of Düsseldorf, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Udo R MarkertPlacenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, Jena, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5299-595X
Shuyi YuShenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen, China.
Linlin WangShenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen, China.
Ruochun LianShenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen, China.
Fu HangReproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Wenjuan LiuJiangsu Human Reproductive Function Remodeling Engineering Research Center, Nanjing, China.
Elizabeth SoczewskiPlacenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, Jena, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-8650-2762
Astrid SchmidtPlacenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, Jena, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4751-045X
Jana PastuschekPlacenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, Jena, Germany.
Dunja M Baston-BuestDepartment of Obstetrics, Gynecology and REI (UniKiD), Medical Faculty, Medical Center University of Düsseldorf, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Nengming XiaoState Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5417-707X
Kairui MaoState Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
Hao WangMaternal-Fetal Medicine Institute, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shenzhen Baoan Women's and Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Xiaoyan ChenMaternal-Fetal Medicine Institute, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shenzhen Baoan Women's and Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Zhenwei LanKey Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Yuying ZhangReproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Tailang YinReproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2032-0901
Wanze ChenKey Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7946-3336
Xiaoshan ShiKey Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7931-8684
Shuangyin WangKey Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9683-4103
Fan YangKey Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Haixiang SunDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1215-1792
Yong ZengShenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen, China. zengyong1966@gmail.com.
Qiyuan LiNational Institute for Data Science and Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China. qiyuan.li@xmu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8934-8948
Lianghui DiaoShenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital), Shenzhen, China. l.diao@pku.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1159-9261
Hanjie LiKey Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China. hj.li@siat.ac.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4052-8366

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 32425024National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82272944National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82371684Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission KQTD20210811090115019, SYSRD20250529113008011
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The human endometrial immune landscape is critical for homeostasis and pregnancy success, yet its dynamic remodeling across the menstrual cycle and in pathology remains poorly characterized. Here, we construct a comprehensive immune cell atlas of the human endometrium, profiling 53 healthy women and 34 chronic endometritis (CE) patients across precisely staged menstrual cycle phases. Our analysis reveals NK and T cells as dominant constituents, with NK cells increasing while T cells decreasing progressively from proliferative to secretory phase. B cells, mast cells, and innate lymphoid cells remain consistently low. Of the two tissue-resident NK subsets, CD11c⁺ NK cells accumulate during the secretory phase and early pregnancy. CE disrupts this landscape, marked by CD11c⁺ NK cell reduction, local B cell proliferation and differentiation, and formation of ectopic lymphoid aggregates comprising germinal-center-B-like cells and T follicular helper-like cells. Using a murine CE model and a subsequent multi-center cohort study we demonstrate that these aggregates compromise pregnancy outcomes in a Tfh-like-cell-dependent manner. Collectively, we establish a detailed immune cell atlas of the cycling human endometrium and define a pathogenic mechanism for adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Indexed as

EndometriumMenstrual CycleAdultAnimalsB-LymphocytesCell ProliferationFemaleHumansKiller Cells, NaturalMicePregnancyT-Lymphocytes

Identifiers

PMID42764309
PMCPMC13590480

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.