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In Vitro Release of Pregnancy‐Associated Plasma Protein‐A (PAPP‐A) by Human Endometrial Cells
Author(s) -
BISCHOF PAUL,
TSENG LINDA
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology and microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 8755-8920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1986.tb00013.x
Subject(s) - endometrium , pregnancy associated plasma protein a , stromal cell , radioimmunoassay , in vitro , andrology , endocrinology , medroxyprogesterone acetate , medicine , protease , pregnancy , chemistry , biology , estrogen , fetus , enzyme , biochemistry , genetics , first trimester
Evidence has now accumulated to sustain the idea that pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A (PAPP‐A) is not pregnancy specific: it can be localized immunohistochemically in nonpregnant human endometrium. Thus, it was of interest to see if a primary cell culture of human endometrial cells was capable of producing PAPP‐A. Immunoreactive PAPP‐A‐like material was detected in the culture medium of glandular as well as stromal cells. The presence of PAPP‐A in endometrial culture medium was specific and could not be attributed to a nonspecific protease effect on the tracer used in radioimmunoassay. The production rate of PAPP‐A by stromal cells could be enhanced by the addition of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). Estradiol (E 2 ) alone or in combination with MPA did not modify the production rate of PAPP‐A. The production rate of PAPP‐A by glandular cells remained unchanged after treatment with MPA and/or E 2 . These results confirm that in nonpregnant women PAPP‐A is a progesterone‐dependent protein produced by the endometrium.