Expression of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and its receptor at the fetomaternal interface in murine and human pregnancy.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a cytokine which regulates proliferation and differentiation of neutrophilic granulocytes, and its receptor (G-CSF-R) is a member of the hemopoietic growth factor receptor family. We studied the expression of G-CSF and G-CSF-R at the fetomaternal interface in murine and human pregnancy. Immunohistochemical analysis and in situ hybridization indicated that both G-CSF and G-CSF-R are expressed in mouse spongiotrophoblasts and placental labyrinths, and human placental cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts. They were also detected in mouse decidual basalis cells and endometrial epithelial cells, and human decidual stromal cells and endometrial gland cells. These results suggest that G-CSF plays a role in decidual and placental functions by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms.