title: Evidence for the presence of toll-like receptor 4 system in the human endometrium.
abstract: We investigated whether Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 is at work in the human endometrium. The expression of TLR4 mRNA in endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) and stromal cells (ESCs) was detected by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. Western blotting analysis revealed the TLR4 protein expression in both cell populations. Treatment of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the actions of which are mediated through TLR4, significantly increased IL-8 secretion from cultured ESCs in a dose-dependent fashion. The stimulatory effect of LPS was inhibited by the addition of neutralizing antibodies for TLR4 and CD14. LPS also stimulated nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB in ESCs, which was also inhibited by these antibodies. On the other hand, LPS did not stimulate IL-8 secretion in cultured EECs. However, LPS stimulated IL-8 secretion from EECs in the presence of soluble CD14. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that CD14 was expressed on the cell surface of ESCs but not EECs. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis showed that CD14 was stained in ESCs but not EECs. Pretreatment of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) enhanced LPS-induced IL-8 secretion from ESCs. IFN-gamma increased the expression of TLR4 mRNA. It also increased the amounts of mRNA for CD14, MD2, and MyD88, which are needed for LPS recognition in concert with TLR4. In summary, we demonstrated that both ESCs and EECs express TLR4 and respond to LPS through TLR4. We further showed that EECs, not ESCs, required soluble CD14 for TLR4 activation. Interestingly, IFN-gamma, an antiinfectious cytokine, was found to activate the TLR4 system in ESCs. Altogether, the results imply that the TLR4 system might represent local immunity in the human endometrium with differential modes of TLR4 actions between ESCs and EECs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Osuga
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Chieko
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: Tetsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nishii
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taketani
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004717:Endometrium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051218:Lymphocyte Antigen 96; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016209:Interleukin-8; C495377:LY96 protein, human; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D051218:Lymphocyte Antigen 96; C507779:MYD88 protein, human; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; D016328:NF-kappa B; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D007371:Interferon-gamma