The Effect of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) with Estradiol and Progesterone on Prolactin Secretion from Cultured Human Decidual Tissues of Early Pregnancy

Abstract

Prolactin is now accepted as a normal product of the decidual cells of the human endometrium. We investigated the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) with estradiol and progesterone on prolactin secretion by the decidual tissues from the early pregnant endometrium. The decidual tissues were separated from villi, minced and cultured in collagen gel matrix with serum-free medium. Immunological staining of the cultured decidual tissues showed prolactin localization and EGF receptors on the stromal cells. Cultured media were collected every 2 days. The culture for the first 2 days was incubated with the serum-free medium alone (= preculture), and the following test culture was supplemented with/without additives. The prolactin content in cultured media was quantified by EIA. The results of the effect of steroid(s) and EGF were represented as a comparison of prolactin contents in the preculture and the test culture. An increase in prolactin secretion was found after the tissues were treated with a combination of 10(-8)M estradiol and 10(-6)M progesterone or 10(-6)M progesterone alone. After 8 days, the prolactin secretion rate increased about 3-fold over the precultured value. Estradiol alone kept the prolactin secretion at the precultured value. Prolactin secretion gradually decreased in the non-additive culture. These results indicate that progesterone was essential in the secretion of prolactin. Simultaneously, similar decidual tissues were incubated with a combination of EGF and steroid(s). The secretion of prolactin in the group treated with progesterone alone decreased dose-dependently responding to added EGF on the 8th day of culture. In the presence of estradiol and progesterone, the secretion rate decreased to the values similar to the progesterone alone group with the addition of 0.1, 1 ng/ml EGF, and the decrease in prolactin secretion was less with the addition of 10 ng/ml EGF. Mixed cultures of the decidual tissues and villi showed that the prolactin secretion rate increased in all groups treated with/without estradiol and/or progesterone. These results imply that progesterone derived from villi might control decidual prolactin secretion. The effect of high concentration EGF (50 ng/ml) on the prolactin secretion appeared similar to the isolated decidual tissues. These results suggest that decidual prolactin secretion is regulated by the combined effects of steroids and EGF.