Korean J Fertil Steril.  2003 Mar;30(1):65-75.

Transforming Growth Factor-beta is a Possible Paracrine Mediator in the Human Endometrial Decidualization

• Park DW
• Choi DS
• Kim MR
• Hwang KJ
• Jo MY
• Ahn SH
• Min CK
• Ryu HS

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To investigate the role of TGF (Transforming growth factor-beta) involved in the paracrinic communication during decidualization between UEC (uterine epithelial cells) and USC (uterine stromal cells), we have employed a co-culture system composed of human endometrial epithelial and stromal cells in defined hormonal conditions. DESiGN: in the co-culture, endometrial epithelial cells cultured in the matrigel-coated cell culture insert are seeded on top of the endometrial stromal cells cultured within a collagen gel. The co-culture was maintained for 48 hours under the following hormonal conditions: progesterone dominant condition (100 nM P4 and 1 nM E2) or estrogen-dominant condition (100 nM E2 and 1 nM P4). 10 ng/ ml HGF and/or 10 ng/ml TGF-beta1 are added.
METHODS
RT-PCR is utilized to detect mRNAs quantitatively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELiSA) and immunohistochemical staining are utilized to detect proteins in the tissue.
RESULTS
Prolactin mRNA is expressed in the co-cultured stromal cells under the progesterone dominant condition. TGF-beta1 and its receptors are expressed in both the co-cultured epithelial and stromal cells irrespective of the steroid present, which is in contrast with no or negligible expression of TGF-beta1 or its receptor in cells separately cultured. Both estrogen and progesterone significantly elevate the concentration of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in the conditioned medium of the co-culture with the value of 4,325 pg/ml in E2-dominant and 2,000 pg/ml in P4-dominant condition compare to 150 pg/ ml in no hormone. in separately cultured stromal cells, administration of HGF induces the expression of TGF receptor 1 in both hormonal conditions, but induction of TGF receptor 2 is only manifest in the P4-dominant condition. Administration of TGF-beta and HGF directly induce the decidualization marker prolactin mRNA in separately cultured stromal cells.
CONCLUSION
it is likely that steroid hormones induces prolactin mRNA indirectly by promoting the cell to cell communication between the stromal and the epithelial cells. TGF-beta and HGF are two possible paracrine mediators in the human endometrial decidualization.

Keyword

Decidualization; TGF-beta; HGF; Co-culture; Paracrine

MeSH Terms

Cell Communication
Cell Culture Techniques
Coculture Techniques
Collagen
Culture Media, Conditioned
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Epithelial Cells
Estrogens
Hepatocyte Growth Factor
Humans*
Progesterone
Prolactin
RNA, Messenger
Stromal Cells
Transforming Growth Factor beta
Transforming Growth Factor beta1
Collagen
Culture Media, Conditioned
Estrogens
Hepatocyte Growth Factor
Progesterone
Prolactin
RNA, Messenger
Transforming Growth Factor beta
Transforming Growth Factor beta1