Comprehensive analysis of the transcriptional response of human decidual cells to lipopolysaccharide stimulation

Himes, Katherine P.; Handley, Daniel; Chu, Tianjiao; Burke, Brian; Bunce, Kimberly; Simhan, Hyagriv N.; Peters, David G.

doi:10.1016/j.jri.2011.11.004

« Previous Next »Journal of Reproductive Immunology
Volume 93, Issue 1 , Pages 17-27, January 2012

Comprehensive analysis of the transcriptional response of human decidual cells to lipopolysaccharide stimulation

Katherine P. Himes
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Daniel Handley
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for Fetal Medicine, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Tianjiao Chu
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for Fetal Medicine, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Brian Burke
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for Fetal Medicine, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Kimberly Bunce
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for Fetal Medicine, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Hyagriv N. Simhan
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
David G. Peters
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Center for Fetal Medicine, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Corresponding author at: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 204 Craft Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Tel.: +1 412 641 2979; fax: +1 412 641 6156.

Received 10 May 2010; received in revised form 17 October 2011; accepted 8 November 2011. published online 14 December 2011.

Abstract

Decidual cells are central to innate immunity at the maternal/fetal interface. We sought to characterize the response of decidual cells to stimulation and then removal of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) using a whole genome approach. Decidual cells were isolated from term unlabored cesarean sections. Cells were stimulated with LPS and RNA isolated both pre-stimulation and 2 and 24h post-stimulation. Media were changed and RNA extracted 48h later. Gene expression was measured using Agilent 44K whole genome microarrays. Data were visualized and interpreted using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software and selected (n=5) target gene expression was verified with quantitative real-time PCR. Genes related to immune function were up-regulated at 2 and 24h after LPS exposure and then generally returned to baseline or were at least substantially reduced after LPS removal. Pathway analysis also revealed that genes involved in lipid metabolism (specifically cholesterol and steroid biosynthesis), iron metabolism, and the plasminogen system were coordinately altered following exposure to LPS. Our novel, preliminary findings provide insight into possible mechanisms via which the host inflammatory response could contribute to preterm birth and warrant further investigation in preterm samples.