SOLUBLE MEDIATORS AND CYTOKINES PRODUCED BY HUMAN CD3(-) LEUKOCYTE CLONES FROM DECIDUALIZED ENDOMETRIUM

CD3(-) granulated leucocyte clones have been generated from human firs t-trimester decidualized endometrial tissue following culture in inter leukin-2 (IL-2). Supernatants from both CD3(-) decidual granulated leu cocyte (dGL) and CD3(-) peripheral blood natural killer (PBNK) cell cl ones inhibited the proliferation of choriocarcinoma cell lines. A pane l of CD3(-) dGL clones, with or without phytohaemagglutinin stimulatio n, was assayed for cytokine secretion compared with CD3(-) PBNK clones and fresh tissue extracts. Levels of interferon-gamma, granulocyte-ma crophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumour necrosis factor-al pha (TNF-alpha) and IL-10 produced by stimulated CD3(-)CD8(-) dGL clon es were greater than those produced by stimulated CD3(-)CD8(+) dGL clo nes. In contrast, CD8(+) dGL clones were more effective in production of IL-6 than CD8(-) dGL clones. Immunoreactive transforming growth fac tor-beta(2) (TGF-beta(2)) was undetectable in supernatants from CD3(-) dGL and PBNK clones. CD3(-) dGL clones generally produced higher leve ls of all cytokines than PBNK clones. Some unstimulated CD3(-) dGL and PBNK clones spontaneously produced these cytokines, but usually at a reduced level. Fresh extracts of first-trimester decidual tissue conta ined detectable GM-CSF, TNF-alpha, IL-10,IL-6 and TGF-beta(2). Cytokin e production by fresh CD3(-) dGL and CD3(-) dGL clones indicates that these cells could play an important role in the regulation of placenta l growth.