title: The inhibin-βC subunit is down-regulated, while inhibin-βE is up-regulated by interferon-β1a in Ishikawa carcinoma cell line.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inhibins are important regulators of the female reproductive system. Recently, two new inhibin-subunits βC and βE have been described, although, their function is still quite unclear. Interestingly, there is an association between interferon and TGF-β expression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine expression changes of inhibin-βC and -βE subunits in endometrial Ishikawa carcinoma cell line after stimulation with interferon-β1a.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Ishikawa cell line was cultured until confluence was observed (after 2 days). After adding interferon-β1a (1,000 IE/ml), Ishikawa cells were analyzed for inhibin-βC and -βE subunits by RT-PCR. The fibroblast cell line BJ6 served as negative control. Experiments were performed in triplicates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The endometrial adenocarcinoma cell line Ishikawa synthesized the inhibin- βC and -βE subunits. The fibroblast cells BJ6 did not demonstrate an inhibin -βC and -βE mRNA expression, while inhibin-βC subunit is down-regulated and inhibin-βE is up-regulated in Ishikawa carcinoma cell line after stimulation with interferon-β1a in Ishikawa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated for the first time a functional relationship between interferon and the novel inhibin-βC and -βE subunits. It might be possible that interferon exerts a possible apoptotic function through the βE-subunit, while, by down-regulating the βC isoform, cell proliferation is inhibited. However, the precise function of the novel βC- and βE-subunits are still not known in human endometrial tissue and a possible association with interferon is still unclear and warrants further research.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Maistrasse 11, 80337, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jückstock
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimmich
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mylonas
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Friese
authors.forename: Darius
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dian
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C504186:INHBC protein, human; C504183:INHBE protein, human; D016899:Interferon-beta; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a