The regulation of progesterone and hCG production from placental cells by interleukin-1beta.

We have investigated the roles of interleukin-1beta as a regulator of progesterone and chorionic gonadotrophin production from human placental cells. In primary placental cells IL-1beta increased hCG synthesis through a cyclic AMP-independent pathway, and was without effect on progesterone or cyclic AMP production. Since dibutyryl cyclic AMP increased progesterone production, this suggests that there is no coupling between the IL-1beta receptor and the adenylate cyclase enzyme in these cells. Immortalised trophoblast cells responded to IL-1beta by increasing progesterone production through a cyclic AMP-dependent mechanism, but hCG production by these cells was unaffected by IL-1beta or dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Further studies are needed to identify the role of IL-1beta as a possible regulator of progesterone production in primary placental cells. While hCG production in first-trimester trophoblast was increased by dibutyryl cyclic AMP and IL-1beta, both these effects may involve other factors such as IL-6, and their second messenger systems.