Abstract
Background: Metallothionein (MT) is known to bind to metals with high affinity. The potential for MT-1 mRNA expression in endometrial stromal cells (ESC) and amniotic cells in response to cytokines and cadmium chloride (CdCl<sub>2</sub>) was evaluated. Methods: Human ESC were cultured and treated with interleukin-1α, 12-O-tetradecanoylphobol 13-acetate (TPA), forskolin, transforming growth factor-β, and CdCl<sub>2</sub>. Amnion-derived (WISH) cells were also cultured and treated with the same reagents. The levels of MT mRNA were evaluated by Northern blot analysis in ESC and WISH cells. Results: In response to treatment with CdCl<sub>2</sub> (0.01–10 µM), the expression of MT mRNA markedly increased in ESC and WISH cells in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, the expression of MT mRNA did not increase after treatment with interleukin-1α (1 nM), TPA (10 nM), forskolin (1 µM) or transforming growth factor-β (1 nM) in these cells. Conclusion: These findings indicate that MT expression in ESC and WISH cells is sensitive to the CdCl<sub>2</sub> concentration, which is known to be evaluated in cigarette smokers. The present results suggest that increased levels of MT may affect metal metabolism at the feto-maternal interface.
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