Progesterone and estradiol alleviate Poly I:C-induced immune response in endometrial stromal cells

J Reprod Immunol. 2024 Dec:166:104318. doi: 10.1016/j.jri.2024.104318. Epub 2024 Aug 22.

Abstract

Progesterone (P) and estradiol (E2) regulate the immune status of the uterus. However, whether P and E2 can affect the immune response of endometrial cell is still unknown. In the study, primary endometrial stromal cells (EndSCs) were treated with Poly(I:C), the pathogen-associated molecular pattern of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) virus, to induce immune response, and then EndSCs were stimulated with P or/and E2. The results showed Poly(I:C) up-regulated the expression of immune cytokines IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β and TNF-α, and significantly down-regulated the expression of ERα and PGRMC1 in EndSCs. Moreover, P or low-dose of E2 attenuate Poly(I:C)-induced immune response, and then the synergistic effects of P and E2 decreased expression of ERα, ERβ and PGR, and alleviate the decease of PGRMC1 induced by Poly(I:C), but not alleviate the decease of ERα caused by Poly(I:C). The result provides a steroid therapeutic method to suppress dsRNA virtues-induced immune response through the synergistic effect of P and E2 on endometrial stromal cells.

Keywords: Endometrial stromal cells; Estradiol; Immune cytokines; Poly(I:C); Progesterone.

MeSH terms

  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Endometrium* / cytology
  • Endometrium* / immunology
  • Estradiol* / pharmacology
  • Estrogen Receptor alpha / genetics
  • Estrogen Receptor alpha / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Poly I-C* / immunology
  • Poly I-C* / pharmacology
  • Progesterone* / metabolism
  • Progesterone* / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Progesterone / metabolism
  • Stromal Cells* / immunology
  • Stromal Cells* / metabolism

Substances

  • Estradiol
  • Poly I-C
  • Progesterone
  • Receptors, Progesterone
  • Cytokines
  • Estrogen Receptor alpha