Paracrine mediators of mouse uterine epithelial cell transepithelial resistance in culture

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• 作者：Katherine S. Grant-Tschudy and Charles R. Wira
• 关键词：Estradiol ; Epithelial cells ; Transepithelial resistance ; Uterus
• 刊名：Journal of Reproductive Immunology
• 出版年：2005
• 出版时间：2005
• 年：2005
• 卷：67
• 期：1-2
• 页码：1-12
• 全文大小：278 K

文摘

Epithelial cell integrity at mucosal surfaces provides an effective physical barrier against potential pathogens that threaten reproductive health. We have used polarized epithelial cells from adult mouse uteri to investigate the roles of TNFα and TGFβ, which are produced by uterine epithelial and stromal cells, and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), produced by uterine stromal cells, in regulating epithelial cell integrity measured as transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). Exposure of epithelial cells to TNFα, TGFβ, and HGF have profound effects on TER that are different from their known actions on TER at other mucosal surfaces. When incubated with TNFα, TER increased in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, when cells were incubated with TGFβ, TER was markedly but reversibly suppressed. Interestingly, HGF, when placed in the basolateral compartment, increased TER. Based on these findings, we conclude that TNFα, TGFβ and HGF may play regulatory roles in modulating epithelial cell tight junctions. These studies suggest that factors, such as hormone balance, pathogen exposure as well as pregnancy, which affect cytokine and growth factor secretion, influence epithelial cell barrier protection within the female reproductive tract.