Expression of CD44 mRNA induced by interleukin-1beta in human cultured uterine cervical fibroblasts.
OBJECTIVE
Hyaluronic acid in the cervix plays an important role in the process of cervical ripening. CD44 is a receptor for hyaluronic acid. We investigated whether CD44 is related to cervical ripening by examining the expression of CD44 mRNA in human cultured cervical fibroblasts with or without inflammatory cytokines.


METHODS
CD44 mRNA expressions derived from cultured human uterine cervical fibroblasts in the presence or absence of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) (1-100 pg/ml) or interleukin-8 (IL-8) (1-100 ng/ml) were analyzed by the Northern blot analysis. The human CD44 cDNA probe was hybridized with three species of mRNA. Sizes of the mRNAs were 1.6, 2.2, and 5.0 kilobases (kb).


RESULTS
Interleukin-1beta stimulated the expression of CD44 mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. Interleukin-8 did not stimulate the expression.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded from the present study that human cervical CD44 mRNA expression is induced by interleukin-1beta. Accordingly, we deduce that the concentration of hyaluronic acid in the cervical tissue is increased because of the expression of CD44.
Tsubaki
Hiromitsu
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University School of Medicine, Hondo 1-1-1, Akita 010-8543, Japan.
Ogawa
Masaki
M
Hosoya
Naoko
N
Shimizu
Dai
D
Obara
Mikitaka
M
Hirano
Hideto
H
Tanaka
Toshinobu
T
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020070:Cervical Ripening / Q000502:physiology*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007375:Interleukin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid