title: Cytotoxic effects of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interferon-gamma on cultured human trophoblast are modulated by fibronectin.
abstract: Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interferon (IFN)-gamma, produced by maternal inflammatory cells, may compromise trophoblast survival at the trophoblast-maternal interface and notably in the placental bed which is invaded by trophoblast. Extracellular matrix components, e.g. fibronectin, may enhance trophoblast survival. A possible protective effect of fibronectin against toxic effects of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma was investigated in cultured trophoblasts isolated from six human term placentas, grown on uncoated and fibronectin-coated plastics. IFN-gamma and increasing doses of TNF-alpha resulted in decreasing viability of trophoblast on uncoated as well as fibronectin-coated dishes, as shown by 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays, but for each TNF/IFN treatment condition viability on fibronectin was higher (P < 0.001). Epidermal growth factor (EGF), a growth factor reported to protect against TNF-alpha/IFN-gamma induced toxicity, resulted in further increased viability, but not if IFN-gamma was included in the treatment. EGF caused increased fibronectin secretion into the medium (P < 0.001), and double cytokeratin/fibronectin immunostaining confirmed the trophoblastic nature of fibronectin secreting cells. We conclude that fibronectin increases viability, but does not completely abolish the cytotoxic action of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma on trophoblast. The protective effect of EGF may be related to stimulation of fibronectin secretion by trophoblast.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pijnenborg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luyten
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vercruysse
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Keith
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Van Assche
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma