Production and physiological function of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in non-pregnant human endometrial stromal cells

Effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on proliferation a nd differentiation of normal human endometrial stromal cells were investiga ted in an in vitro decidualization culture of stromal cells. Unstimulated s tromal cells secreted little prolactin and G-CSF, whereas 8-Br-cAMP-stimula ted stromal cells secreted higher levels. There was no relationship, howeve r, between the levels of prolactin and G-CSF secreted from the stimulated c ells. Detectable levels of prolactin secretion were not found in two of six stromal cell cultures stimulated with 8-Br-cAMP; however, there two cultur e supernatants contained high concentrations of G-CSF. Co-stimulation of th e stromal cells with 8-Br-cAMP and G-CSF enhanced prolactin secretion from the stimulated cells in a G-CSF concentration-dependent manner without any change in viable cell numbers. However, G-CSF did not affect prolactin secr etion or viable cell numbers of 8-Br-cAMP-stimulated decidualized cells. Th ese results indicate that C-CSF enhances cAMP-mediated decidualization of h uman endometrial stromal cells in an autocrine or paracrine fashion.