title: Immunological studies of human endometrium--suppression of lymphocyte mitogenesis by endometrial extract.
abstract: Immunoregulatory activity that suppresses lymphocyte mitogenesis was demonstrated in human secretory endometrial extracts (SEE). SEE markedly suppressed 3H-thymidine (3H-TdR) incorporation by phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated lymphocytes compared with myometrial extracts from the same donors. SEE-induced inhibition of lymphocyte response to PHA was significantly (p less than 0.01) greater than that in cultures containing proliferative endometrial extracts at equivalent concentrations. SEE inhibited PHA- and ConA-stimulated cultures much better than PWM cultures, suggesting that it suppressed mitogen stimulation of T cells, but probably not B cells. Investigation of the kinetics of SEE-mediated suppression revealed that it was effective in inhibiting the initial activation processes of T-cell mitogenesis. Preincubation of lymphocytes with SEE followed by washing prevented inhibition of PHA-stimulated proliferation, indicating that the inhibitory effect of SEE might be reversible. The results are discussed with respect to a possible role of the inhibitory factor(s) in SEE in facilitating the implantation process of fetal allograft.
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D013936:Thymidine