Objective: To investigate the effect of interleuldn-3 (IL-3) on trophoblast
proliferation and expression of beta (2)-glycoprotein I.
Design: In vitro cell culture using primary trophoblasts and the cell lines
Jeg-3, Jar, and BeWo.
Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Auckland.
Patient(s): Women with normal pregnancies.
Intervention(s): Increasing amounts of IL-3 were added to cultures of prima
ry human trophoblasts, cell lines, or cells treated with a proliferation in
hibiting antiphospholipid-like antibody. RNA was extracted from primary hum
an trophoblasts or cell lines.
Main Outcome Measure(s): We examined basal and IL-3-stimulated cellular pro
liferation by [H-3] thymidine incorporation assay and secretion of beta (2)
-glycoprotein I into culture medium by semiquantative immunoblot analysis.
Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to demons
trate the presence of IL-3 receptor transcripts.
Result(s): The IL-3 treatment did not induce proliferation of highly purifi
ed primary trophoblast cultures or cell lines but did induce proliferation
of contaminating CD45(+) cells in trophoblast cultures. The IL-3 did not ov
ercome the antiproliferative effect of an antiphospholipid-like monoclonal
antibody on trophoblast. Secretion of beta (2)-glycoprotein I by trophoblas
t cultures was time dependent but unaltered by IL-3 treatment.
Conclusion(s): Our results question the proposed importance of IL-3 in anti
phospholipid antibody-mediated fetal death. (Fertil Steril(R) 2001;76:700-6
. (C) 2001 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.).