Establishment and characterization of in vitro decidualization in normal human endometrial stromal cells.
We established and characterized a novel experimental model of in vitro decidualization in normal human endometrial stromal cells. In a comparison of decidualization induction, 8-Br-cAMP showed the strongest ability to induce decidualization in stromal cells among four inducers examined: progesterone, medroxyprogesterone acetate, prostaglandin E2, and 8-Br-cAMP. The effects of 8-Br-cAMP were enhanced by prostaglandin E2 but not altered by medroxyprogesterone acetate. Both progesterone and medroxyprogesterone acetate activity was so weak that it took more than 2 weeks to induce in vitro decidualization. These results suggest that there are two independent decidualization signals in the in vitro decidualization, a cAMP-mediated signaling pathway and a progesterone receptor-mediated signaling pathway, and that cAMP-inducers are major factors in decidualization in vivo. Differential expressions of three membrane aminopeptidases on the stromal cells during the decidualization are also discussed.
Mizuno
K
K
Department of Obstetrics, Osaka City University Medical School, Japan.
Tanaka
T
T
Umesaki
N
N
Ogita
S
S
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003656:Decidua / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000502:physiology