Effects of progesterone on PMN-mediated inflammatory responses to gonococcal infection / 中华皮肤科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effects of progesterone on polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN)-mediated inflammatory responses to gonococcal infection. Methods Peripheral neutrophils were isolated from heparinized peripheral blood obtained from normal individuals, then divided into 4 groups progesterone group (pretreated with progesterone only), gonococcus group (stimulated with gonococcal suspension), intervention group (pretreated with progesterone followed by stimuation with gonococcal suspension), and control group (receiving no pretreatment or stimulation). Real-time RT-PCR was conducted to detect the mRNA expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)in neutrophils from all groups at 0, 3, 8, 12 and 24 hours after the last treatment, and iNOS protein levels were measured by Western-blot in gonococcus group and intervention group. Results Real-time RT-PCR indicated that the expression levels of iNOS, TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA increased in gonococcus group and intervention group, and reached their peak at 8 hours in gonococcus group, while no significant changes were noted in the above parameters in progesterone group or control group. Also, the level of iNOS, TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA was lower in intervention group than that in the gonococcus group (P ＜ 0.05). Western blot showed an elevation in iNOS protein expression in both gonococcus group and intervention group, and the former group was higher than the latter group in the parameter (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusions Progesterone can downregulate the expressions of iNOS, TNF-α and IL-1 β by PMNs, inhibit the PMN-induced inflammatory responses induced by gonococcal infection, which is likely to be associated with the asymptomatic gonococcal infection in women.