H. Seki et al., THE REGULATION OF PROGESTERONE AND HCG PRODUCTION FROM PLACENTAL CELLS BY INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA, Biochimica et biophysica acta (G). General subjects, 1336(2), 1997, pp. 342-348
We have investigated the roles of interleukin-1 beta as a regulator of
progesterone and chorionic gonadotrophin production from human placen
tal cells. In primary placental cells IL-1 beta increased hCG synthesi
s through a cyclic AMP-independent pathway, and was without effect on
progesterone or cyclic AMP production. Since dibutyryl cyclic AMP incr
eased progesterone production, this suggests that there is no coupling
between the IL-1 beta receptor and the adenylate cyclase enzyme in th
ese cells. Immortalised trophoblast cells responded to IL-1 beta by in
creasing progesterone production through a cyclic AMP-dependent mechan
ism, but hCG production by these cells was unaffected by IL-1 beta or
dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Further studies are needed to identify the role
of IL-1 beta as a possible regulator of progesterone production in pri
mary placental cells. While hCG production in first-trimester trophobl
ast was increased by dibutyryl cyclic AMP and IL-1 beta, both these ef
fects may involve other factors such as IL-6, and their second messeng
er systems.