Secretion of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 by human uterine epithelium directs monocyte migration in culture

Objective: To determine whether primary human uterine epithelial cells in culture are, able to influence monocyte chemotaxis and to establish whether the causal agent of chemotaxis is monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1. Design: Tissue culture study. Setting: University medical center. Patient(s): Women aged 23 to 53 years who were undergoing hysterectomy (n=7). Intervention(s): Primary human endometrial epithelial cells were acquired from surgical specimens and grown to confluence, and high transepithelial resistance. Conditioned media from epithelial cultures were analyzed for the presence of MCP-1 and for capacity to affect monocyte chemotaxis using the THP-1 monocyte line. Antibody neutralization of conditioned media was used to establish the role of MCP-1 in chemotaxis. Main Outcome Measure(s): Assay of conditioned media for MCP-1, quantitative measurement of monocyte chemotaxis to conditioned media, and inhibition of chemotaxis by antibody neutralization of MCP-1. Result(s): Primary endometrial epithelial cells in monolayer culture secrete MCP-1 to both the apical and basolateral compartments. Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 was identified as the primary agent of monocyte chemotaxis by antibody neutralization. Conclusion(s): These findings suggest that biologically active MCP-1 is secreted into both the uterine lumen as well as the underlying stroma and that it mediates the presence of monocytes, macrophages, and other immune cells in the uterine endometrium. (c) 2005 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.