PARTURITION - STEROIDS, PROSTAGLANDIN E(2), AND EXPRESSION OF ADHESION MOLECULES BY ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS

Objective: To determine whether 17 beta-estradiol, progesterone, and p rostaglandin (PG) E(2), alone or in combination with cytokines, influe nce the adhesiveness of vascular endothelium and thus play a role in t he first stage of leukocyte infiltration of the uterine cervix during parturition. Methods: Cultured umbilical vein endothelial cells obtain ed from 11 women after vaginal delivery at term were incubated with 17 beta-estradiol, progesterone, PGE(2), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TN F-alpha), and interleukin-8 (IL-8), alone and in combination. The expr ession of endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adh esion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 was investigat ed by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov te st was used for statistical analysis. Results: We found that 17 beta-e stradiol augmented the TNF-alpha-induced expression of endothelial leu kocyte adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and vas cular cell adhesion molecule-1 by 107, 9, and 39%, respectively. Alone , 17 beta-estradiol induced the expression of only intercellular adhes ion molecule-1 (24%), as did PGE(2) (13%). Neither progesterone nor IL -8 induced expression of any of these adhesion molecules. Conclusions: Unlike progesterone, 17 beta-estradiol and PGE(2) stimulate the expre ssion of adhesion molecules in vitro and may, therefore, promote adhes ion of granulocytes to capillary endothelium. Copyright (C) 1997 by Th e American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.