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Ceramide stimulates prostaglandin production by human amnion and decidual cells
S S Edwin1, M D Mitchell, R M Silver
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
Objective:
To determine whether ceramide regulates prostaglandin (PG) production by cultured human amnion cells and decidual cells independently of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta).
Methods:
Cells were grown in monolayer culture and then incubated with varying concentrations of ceramide, IL-1 beta, ceramide in the presence and absence of IL-1, and control media. Production of PGE2 was determined using a specific radioimmunoassay.
Results:
Ceramide induced a significant concentration-dependent increase in PGE2 production by amnion cells and decidual cells. However, PGE2 production induced by IL-1 beta was significantly more than with ceramide alone, and there was no potentiation of PGE2 production with coincubation of ceramide and IL-1 beta.
Conclusion:
We suggest that term human amnion cells and decidual cells are responsive to ceramide independent of IL-1 beta and that generation of these substances in response to an infection in the uterus may lead to increased PG production by human gestational tissues, indicating that there are several mechanisms leading to PG production by these cells.