Expression of interleukin-10 in human gestational tissues.
OBJECTIVE
To determine production of interleukin-10 (IL-10) by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) in cultured decidual, chorion, and amnion cells and whether IL-10 is produced in gestational tissues under the setting of infection-associated preterm labor.


METHODS
Decidual, chorion, and amnion cells were isolated from term placentas and grown in primary culture. The cells were incubated with various concentrations of IL-1 beta and then culture supernatants were assayed for IL-10 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In subsequent studies, gestational membranes were isolated from a normal-term pregnancy and a preterm pregnancy complicated by chorioamnionitis. Tissues were evaluated for IL-10 expression by immunohistology and in situ hybridization. Human gestational tissues were collected from 38 women experiencing: 1) term cesarean delivery without labor; 2) normal-term vaginal delivery; 3) preterm cesarean delivery without labor; 4) preterm vaginal delivery without chorioamnionitis; and 5) preterm vaginal delivery with concomitant chorioamnionitis. Amnion, chorion, and decidua were isolated, total RNA from each tissue was extracted, and the presence of IL-10 mRNA was determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
Decidual cells in culture produced IL-10 in response to IL-1 beta, but chorion and amnion cells produced no IL-10 protein. In vivo protein expression by immunohistology showed that most protein was detected within decidua while cells within amnion and chorion rarely had detectable IL-10 protein. In vivo RT-PCR samples demonstrated the strongest IL-10 mRNA signal from decidua samples, although IL-10 mRNA was also noted in chorion and amnion of placentas obtained after preterm labor.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal decidual cells can potentially produce IL-10, but fetal membranes (amnion and chorion) appear to have limited capabilities to produce IL-10. The relative inability of fetal tissues to produce IL-10 may play an important role in the pathophysiology of infection-associated preterm labor.
Trautman
M S
MS
Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
Collmer
D
D
Edwin
S S
SS
White
W
W
Mitchell
M D
MD
Dudley
D J
DJ
D000650:Amnion / Q000737:chemistry; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002823:Chorion / Q000737:chemistry; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D003656:Decidua / Q000737:chemistry; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016753:Interleukin-10