The production of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) by human endometrial cells in culture.

The production of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) by cultured human endometrial epithelial and stromal cells prepared from endometrium obtained at different stages in the menstrual cycle has been investigated. TNF-alpha was not detectable in the supernatants of stromal cell cultures prepared from endometrial tissue obtained at any time in the menstrual cycle. TNF-alpha production by endometrial epithelial cells in culture varied depending on the time in the cycle at which the endometrial tissue was taken. Cells prepared from tissue obtained during the late proliferative phase of the cycle produced more TNF-alpha than those prepared from tissue obtained at other times in the cycle. In addition, a small increase in TNF-alpha production was seen by cells prepared from tissue obtained during the mid-secretory phase of the cycle. Interleukin 1 (IL-1) (1.4-140 pmol/l) caused a dose-dependent increase in TNF-alpha production by cells prepared from both proliferative and secretory endometrium. Maximum IL-1-stimulated increases in TNF-alpha production were similar in cells from both proliferative and secretory endometrium and typically reached from four to 10 times basal values. High doses of progesterone, either alone or in the presence of oestradiol, also affected TNF-alpha production by epithelial cells. TNF-alpha production by cells prepared from proliferative endometrium was increased by progesterone. In contrast, TNF-alpha production by cells prepared from secretory endometrium was decreased in the presence of progesterone. The effects of steroids on TNF-alpha production were less marked than that of IL-1, with values increasing or decreasing to a maximum of three times the basal value. Placental protein 14 (PP14) (0.18 and 1.8 nmol/l) also increased TNF-alpha production by cells prepared from proliferative tissue, but had no effect on its production by cells prepared from secretory endometrium. PP14-stimulated TNF-alpha levels typically only reached a maximum of two times basal values.