Effects of interleukin-4 on the in-vitro production of cytokines by human endometrial stromal cells

A T helper (Th)1/Th2 model has been applied to as a system regulating the c ytokine network during pregnancy, To evaluate the effects of interleukin (I L)-4, a Th2 cytokine, on the cytokine production by endometrial stromal cel ls (ESC), an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the conc entrations of IL-6, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and m acrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) in the culture media of ESC and of an endometrial stromal sarcoma cell line, MaMi, following the addition of recombinant human IL-4, The expression of mRNAs for IL-6 and IL-8 in ESC after stimulation with IL-4 was also evaluated by Northern blot analysis. Increases in the concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and M-CSF in the cult ure media of ESC and MaMi cells were observed on the addition of increasing amounts of IL-4. This cytokine also stimulated the transcription of IL-6 a nd IL-8 in ESC in a dose-dependent manner. It is suggested that IL-4 secret ed by the maternal decidual tissue as well as by the developing embryo may stimulate the production of IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and M-CSF by ESC. The increa sed concentration of these cytokines in the local environment may contribut e to the maintenance of early pregnancy by modulating the immune reaction a t the fete-maternal interface.