Lipoxin A(4) is a lipid mediator that elicits anti-inflammatory and pro-resolution actions via its receptor, formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2/ALX). In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression and potential role of lipoxin A(4) and FPR2/ALX in the regulation of inflammation associated with cyclical remodeling of the human endometrium across the menstrual cycle and during early pregnancy...

STUDY QUESTION What is the in situ localization and function of hyperglycosylated hCG (hCG-H) in first trimester pregnancy tissues? SUMMARY ANSWER HCG-H localizes to the syncytiotrophoblast, cytotrophoblast and invasive extravillous trophoblast within the maternal decidua and promotes invasion during the first trimester of pregnancy. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Serum levels of hCG-H decline drama...

the purpose of this study was to investigate and compare whether the explant supernatants prepared from endometrial tissues during the proliferative phase, secretory phase and early pregnancy differ in immunosuppressive activity. specimens of nonpregnant endometrium from hysterectomies and normal first trimester decidua following elective aspiration termination of pregnancy were obtained. super...

BACKGROUND During the first trimester of pregnancy, HIV-1 mother-to-child transmission is relatively rare despite the permissivity of placental cells to cell-to-cell HIV-1 infection. The placenta interacts directly with maternal uterine cells (decidual cells) but the physiological role of the decidua in the control of HIV-1 transmission and whether decidua could be a source of infected cells is...

Oncostatin M (OSM) is a member of the interleukin-6 superfamily and a multifunctional cytokine that effects the growth and differentiation of many different cell types. OSM concentrations in the sera of pregnant women were found to be significantly higher than those of non-pregnant women. Western blot analysis revealed that the OSM protein was present in the decidua and chorionic tissue in each...

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is a neutrophil elastase inhibitor which also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is found associated with mucosal membranes. Although SLPI has been reported in the cervix it has not thus far been reported in human endometrium. This study investigates the presence of SLPI in endometrium, first trimester decidua and trophoblast. Cu...

AIM To quantify and compare decidual leucocyte subpopulations in complete and partial hydatidiform molar pregnancy with those in normal early pregnancy. METHODS Decidual leucocytes were characterised using an avidin-biotin technique and a panel of monoclonal antibodies in formalin fixed, paraffin embedded decidual tissues from 10 normal first trimester pregnancy terminations and from 13 parti...

Several studies have shown that decidual tissue produces soluble factors which can mediate a variety of immunosuppressive activities. In order to assess whether prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was present in supernatants produced by explant culture of 10 human specimens of first trimester decidua. The effect of the supernatants from the two different series (with and without indomethacin treatment) ...

Spontaneous pregnancy loss affects 15-18% of couples, and a number of potential causes are being discussed. The purpose of the present study was to assess if angiogenic disorders in the decidua of early human pregnancy could be related to spontaneous abortions. First trimester human decidua from elective terminations of normally progressing pregnancies and from missed abortions were investigate...

Nodal, a secreted signaling protein from the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β)-super family plays a vital role during early embryonic development. Recently, it was found that maternal decidua-specific Nodal knockout mice show intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm birth. The chromosomal location of NODAL is in the same linkage area as the placental (fetal) pre-eclampsia (PE) s...