Induction of HLA-DR expression in endometrial epithelial cells by endometrial T-cells: potential regulatory role of endometrial T-cells in vivo.
Endometrial epithelial cells express HLA-DR molecules of the major histocompatibility complex in vivo adjacent to aggregates of T-cells in the endometrial stroma. To test whether HLA-DR expression on endometrial epithelium is mediated by T-cells, endometrial T-cells were isolated from human endometrium by the sheep red blood cell rosetting technique. In contrast to the resting T-cells from peripheral blood and similar to the peripheral blood T-cells activated with Concanavalin-A, endometrial T-cells formed colonies in vitro. Direct addition of the endometrial T-cells to epithelial cell cultures derived from autologous glands induced both morphological changes as well as HLA-DR molecules in the epithelial cells. The intensity of the immunostained HLA-DR molecules in the epithelial cells as well as the percentages of the HLA-DR-positive epithelial cells correlated with the number of T-cells added to the epithelial cell cultures. T-Cells were bound to the HLA-DR-positive epithelial cells as single cells or aggregates, and they were not found bound to the HLA-DR-negative epithelial cells. The supernatant of the endometrial T-cells induced expression of HLA-DR molecules and morphological changes in cultures of HLA-DR-negative epithelial cells. This expression could be inhibited by a neutralizing antiserum to interferon-gamma. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that endometrial T-cells are activated and suggest that the expression of HLA-DR molecules in glandular epithelium in vivo is mediated by the interferon-gamma secreted by the endometrial T-cells.
Tabibzadeh
S
S
Department of Pathology, City Hospital Center, Elmhurst, New York 11373.
D000328:Adult; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007371:Interferon-gamma