Involvement of p38 MAP kinase in lipopolysaccharide-induced production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and prostaglandin E(2) in human choriodecidua.

Chorioamnionitis is implicated in the pathogenesis of preterm delivery. However, the detailed mechanisms by which infection induces preterm labor are not well understood. This study has assessed the involvement of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine and prostaglandin (PG) production in human choriodecidua.

Macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 induces cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin E(2) via toll-like receptor 2 in human placental trophoblast cells.

We have examined whether toll-like receptor (TLR)2-mediated stimulation by macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 (MALP-2), originally purified from Mycoplasma fermentans, induces cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and prostaglandin (PG)E(2) in human placental trophoblast cells. The signaling mechanism by which MALP-2 exerts its effect has also been examined. Human placental trophoblast cells isolated from term placenta were used.

Progesterone and progestational compounds attenuate tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced interleukin-8 production via nuclear factor kappa B inactivation in endometriotic stromal cells.

Objective: To investigate whether and how P, dienogest (synthetic progestin), and danazol affected tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha)-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression in endometriotic stromal cells.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University Hospital, Yonago, Japan.

Cervical Ureaplasma urealyticum colonization might be associated with increased incidence of preterm delivery in pregnant women without prophlogistic microorganisms on routine examination.

Aim: We examined whether the detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum DNA in the cervix is associated with preterm labor and delivery.

Methods: Eighty-two women (23 preterm labor cases and 59 controls) with no evidence of prophlogistic microorganisms on routine microbiologic examination were enrolled for this study. U.

Coculture with a human granulosa cell line enhanced the development of murine preimplantation embryos via SCF/c-kit system.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect on the coculture of murine embryos with a human ovarian granulosa tumor derived cell line (KGN cells).

Methods: We observed microscopically the growth of murine preimplantation embryos in the coculture system with KGN cells or in the presence with exogenous stem cell factor (SCF). The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method was used to analyze the gene expression of SCF in KGN cells cocultured with murine embryos.