Relationship between macrophage colony-stimulating factor production by uterine epithelial cells and accumulation and distribution of macrophages in the uterus of pregnant mice.
Estrogen and progesterone induce production of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF-1) by uterine epithelial cells, and CSF-1 is produced in the uterus during pregnancy in mice. CSF-1 is a lineage-specific stimulator of macrophage proliferation, chemotaxis, and function. High concentrations of macrophages accumulate in the uterus during pregnancy. Experiments were conducted to determine whether a relationship exists between intrauterine CSF-1 production and the number and distribution of uterine macrophages during pregnancy in mice. The study demonstrated that on day 1 of pregnancy CSF-1 bioactivity levels were high. The number of macrophages in the uterus was also high on days 1 and 2, and macrophages were concentrated at epithelial surfaces. The decrease in CSF-1 bioactivity seen between days 1 and 2 was followed by a decrease in the macrophage concentration. An increase in CSF-1 bioactivity on day 4 was followed by an increase in the concentration of intrauterine macrophages. During the immediate postimplantation period, macrophages were detected primarily in the myometrium and deep endometrium and CSF-1 bioactivity was undetectable. During the second half of pregnancy, when CSF-1 concentrations were very high, the macrophage concentration was also very high and large numbers of macrophages were detected in association with epithelia. The data confirmed the existence of a direct relationship between intrauterine CSF-1 and macrophage accumulation and suggested that macrophages are attracted to epithelial surfaces by CSF-1.
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Department of Pathology and Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66160-7410.
Sanford
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T
Wood
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GW
D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005260:Female; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor