Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026
Two Methods for Establishing Primary Human Endometrial Stromal Cells from Hysterectomy Specimens
Published on: May 23, 2014
Retinoic acid suppresses interleukin-6 production in human endometrial cells
S Sawatsri1, N Desai, J A Rock
1Division of Research, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Objective:
To determine whether retinoic acid (RA) can regulate the expression of interleukin (IL)-6 in human endometrial cells in a manner that might be beneficial to women with endometriosis.
Design:
In vitro study.
Setting:
Academic medical center.
Patient(S):
Patients with endometriosis and controls.
Intervention(S):
Endometrial cell cultures were treated with RA.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Interleukin-6 protein secretion, messenger RNA expression, and IL-6-promoter activity.
Result(S):
Using a human endometrial cell line (EM42), as well as primary stromal and epithelial endometrial cells, we demonstrated that RA suppresses IL-6 protein and messenger RNA expression in a time- and dose-dependent fashion, showing maximal effects at pharmacologically achievable blood serum concentrations (micromoles per liter). Retinoic acid specifically inhibited the activity of IL-6-promoter reporter constructs that were transiently transfected into EM42 cells. Mutational analysis of reporter constructs indicated that RA suppression of IL-6 expression was mediated, at least in part, through the nuclear factor IL-6 binding site located in the IL-6 promoter.
Conclusion:
Retinoids may play a fundamental role in altering the pathophysiology of endometriosis related to aberrant production of IL-6.
