title: Evaluation of progesterone receptor expression in eosinophils using real-time quantitative PCR.
abstract: Progesterone has been shown in many instances to have immune-suppressant activities. Most of these activities have been investigated in the light of general immune suppression or with a focus on lymphocytes. However, many clinical and in vitro studies have shown that progesterone also has a suppressive effect on eosinophilia. This effect so far has not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the effect is mediated via the classical progesterone receptor (PR). We developed a new real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) for the analysis and quantification of expression of the classical PR. The test was first validated both on breast cancer cell lines and on breast cancer biopsies. Subsequently, when using eosinophils isolated from peripheral blood of healthy volunteers, we could not find evidence for the expression of PR. These data suggest that the effects of progesterone on eosinophils are not mediated by the classical PR.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Leuven, University of Leuven, Louvain, Belgium. joeri_aerts@nih.gov
authors.forename: Joeri L E
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Aerts
authors.forename: Marie-Rose
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Christiaens
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vandekerckhove
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone