INDUCTION AND POSTRANSLATIONAL EXPRESSION OF G-CSF AND RANTES IN A FIRST TRIMESTER TROPHOBLAST CELL-LINE BY LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE

PROBLEM: Comparatively little is known about the capacity of first tri mester trophoblasts to respond to an infection and coordinate an immun e response. This study characterizes the LPS induction of G-CSF and RA NTES in a first trimester trophoblast cell line. METHODS: HTR-8/SV neo cells were exposed to LPS (1 mu g/ml) for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 24 hours in DMEM-Ham's F-12 media supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Cy tokine levels in culture supernatants were measured by ELISA. Northern analysis of total RNA was conducted using antisense cytokine probes. RESULTS: Levels of immunoreactive G-CSF and RANTES from LPS induced cu ltures at 24 hours were 10-fold and 8.5-fold greater than cytokine lev els from non-induced cells at 24 hours, respectively (P<0.01). Under L PS induction, maximal rates of G-CSF and RANTES transcription occurred at 24 hours and 8 hours, respectively. CONCLUSION: The LPS induction of proinflammatory cytokines in a first trimester trophoblast cell lin e supports the contention that first trimester trophoblasts participat e in cytokine based immune signaling in response to infection.