Decidualization Mediated by Steroid Hormones Modulates the Innate Immunity in Response to Group B Streptococcal Infection in vitro.
BACKGROUND
Decidual cells play a role in the modulation of the innate immune response to protect pregnancy against infection. Steroid hormones regulate the innate immune response in different tissues, and they are involved in several biological processes like decidualization. The aim of this study was to assess if steroid hormones modulate the innate immunity in endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) and decidual stromal cells (DSCs) in response to group B streptococcus (GBS) infection in vitro.


METHODS
Primary cultures of ESC were differentiated into DSC using 36 nM estradiol + 300 nM progesterone, and both were infected with GBS overnight. Concentrations of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, IL-10, and TGF-β), chemokines (IL-8 and GCP-2), and human β-defensins (HBD-1, HBD-2, and HBD-3) were measured in the culture supernatants.


RESULTS
DSCs showed a significant increase in IL-6 (p < 0.05), TNF-α (p < 0.05), IL-10 (p < 0.01), and TGF-β (p < 0.05) secretion after GBS infection, while these changes were not observed in infected ESCs. IL-8 and GCP-2 increased after GBS infection, regardless of decidualization. β-Defensins 1-3 decreased (p < 0.05) in ESCs after GBS infection, and hormone decidualization preserved the secretion of these antimicrobial peptides.


CONCLUSIONS
Decidualization mediated by steroid hormones balance the pro- and anti-inflammatory response at the maternal-fetal interface under infection conditions.
Department of Immunobiochemistry, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Montes Urales 800, Lomas Virreyes, Mexico City, Mexico.
Violeta
V
Castro-Leyva
Veronica
V
Zaga-Clavellina
Aurora
A
Espejel-Nuñez
Rodrigo
R
Vega-Sanchez
Arturo
A
Flores-Pliego
Enrique
E
Reyes-Muñoz
Silvia
S
Giono-Cerezo
Sonia
S
Nava-Salazar
Salvador
S
Espino Y Sosa
Guadalupe
G
Estrada-Gutierrez
D003656:Decidua / Q000187:drug effects; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D004967:Estrogens; C508609:IL10 protein, human; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D004958:Estradiol
Chemokines; Cytokines; Decidual cells; Decidualization; Group B streptococcus; Human β-defensins; Innate immunity; Intrauterine infection; Pregnancy ; Steroid hormones