Granulocyte colony stimulation factor (G-CSF) suppresses interleukin (IL)-12 and/or IL-2 induced interferon (IFN)-γ production and cytotoxicity of decidual mononuclear cells

PROBLEM: The placenta is one of the few non-hematopoietic tissues to express granulocyte colony stimulation factor (G-CSF). Placental G-CSF production is considered to be one of the major causes of granulocytosis during pregnancy although its physiological role in pregnancy has not yet been examined. METHOD OF STUDY: The effects of G-CSF on interleukin (IL)-2 and/or IL-12 induced interferon (IFN)-gamma production of magnetic cell sorting (MACS) sorted decidual lymphocytes was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot-forming cell assay (ELISPOT). The effect of G-CSF on cytotoxicity of decidual lymphocytes against the choriocarcinoma cell line JEG-3 was examined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. RESULTS: As previously reported by us, IL-2 and/or IL-12 activated decidual mononuclear cells were capable of killing choriocarcinoma cells. We observed that G-CSF abolished IFN-gamma production and cytotoxicity of decidual mononuclear cells and MACS sorted CD56(+) cells. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to its well-known trophic effects on hematopoiesis, our results suggest about new roles of G-CSF in reproductive immunology.