Human Amniotic Fluid Glycoproteins Expressing Sialyl Lewis Carbohydrate Antigens Stimulate Progesterone Production in Human Trophoblasts in vitro

Abstract

Background: Progesterone is thought to mediate immune modulator effects by regulating uterine responsiveness. The aim of the study was to clarify the effect of transferrin and glycodelin A (former name PP14) as sialyl Lewis X-expressing glycoproteins on the release of progesterone by trophoblast cells in vitro. Methods: Cytotrophoblast cells were prepared from human term placentas by standard dispersion of villous tissue followed by a Percoll gradient centrifugation step. Trophoblasts were incubated with varying concentrations (50–300 µg/ml) of human amniotic fluid- and serum-transferrin as well as with glycodelin A. Culture supernatants were assayed for progesterone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and cortisol by enzyme immunometric methods. Results: The release of progesterone is increased in amniotic fluid transferrin- and glycodelin A-treated trophoblast cell cultures compared to untreated trophoblast cells. There is no relation between transferrin and the hCG or cortisol production of trophoblast cells. Conclusion: The results suggest that sialyl Lewis carbohydrate antigen-expressing amniotic fluid glycoproteins modulate the endocrine function of trophoblasts in culture by upregulating progesterone production.

Autophagy and endocytosis in the amnion

“…Because of the limitation of the nutrient supply from amniotic fluid, amniotic epithelial cells face starvation and adapt to this adverse circumstance by inducing autophagy. In amniotic fluid, many hormones appear, such as the growth hormone, insulin (Osmanagaoglu et al, 2005), testosterone, androstenedione (van de Beek et al, 2004), progesterone (Jeschke et al, 2004), thyroid-stimulating hormone (Singh et al, 2003), and human chorionic gonadotropin (Jeschke et al, 2003). Some of these hormones increase during pregnancy.…”

The immunomodulatory glycan LNFPIII initiates alternative activation of murine macrophages in vivo

“…Expression of LNFPIII/Lewis X has been associated with immunosuppressive states, being found in breast milk, the urine of pregnant women, on the trophoblast, on various tumours and during numerous parasitic and viral infections. [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] Previously, we demonstrated that LNFPIII injection induced the expansion of peritoneal macrophages capable of suppressing naïve T-cell proliferation in vitro. 30 Further, administration of LNFPIII was shown to prevent development of psoriatic-like lesions in fsn/fsn mice in vivo.…”

Effects of phytoestrogens genistein and daidzein on progesterone and estrogen (estradiol) production of human term trophoblast cellsin vitro

“…These cells express the estrogen receptor alpha and beta [18][19][20] and in addition produce a variety of specific steroid hormones like progesterone and estrogen [21][22][23][24]. Therefore, we measured the effect of phytoestrogens on progesterone and estrogen production of these cells.…”