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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Effect of interferon-γ treatment on the expression of interleukin-1β at the maternal–fetal interface of pregnant rats

Hong-Fei Xia A , Quan-Hong Sun A and Jing-Pian Peng A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy Sciences, Beijing 100080, China.

B Corresponding author. Email: pengjp@ioz.ac.cn

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 19(3) 510-519 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD06073
Submitted: 15 July 2006  Accepted: 8 February 2007   Published: 19 March 2007

Abstract

In the present study, the possible mechanisms by which interferon (IFN)-γ affects pregnancy were investigated using the cytokine network model. The IFN-γ-induced expression of interleukin (IL)-1β was examined using western blotting, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. The results showed that IFN-γ treatment significantly decreased the expression of uterine IL-1β protein during the preimplantation, post-implantation and mid-gestation periods. The expression of IL-1β protein was increased after IFN-γ treatment compared with the control group in late pregnancy. In the placenta, IL-1β protein levels were significantly increased after IFN-γ treatment in early and mid-pregnancy. In late pregnancy, IFN-γ treatment significantly decreased placental IL-1β protein levels. IL-1β was mainly expressed in the myometrium, uterine arteries, decidua basalis, trophospongium of the junctional layer and trophoblastic epithelium of the labyrinthine layers. IL-1β was mainly located in the cytoplasm of in vitro cultured endometrial stromal cells (ESCs). IFN-γ treatment did not affect the distribution of IL-1β, only the expression of IL-1β. The effects of IFN-γ on the proliferation of ESCs were determined using an MTS (a novel tetrazolium compound) assay. IFN-γ treatment inhibited the proliferation of ESCs and decreased the weight of the fetus and placenta. These results indicate that exogenous IFN-γ affects the expression of IL-1β and inhibits ESC proliferation.

Additional keywords: placenta, pregnancy, uterus.


Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2006CB944007; 2006CB504006) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30370165). The authors are grateful to Dr Qing-Yuan Sun for his help with the writing of the manuscript.


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