Expression data from primary culture human myometrial cells

Inflammation plays a central role in many human diseases. Human parturition also resembles an inflammatory reaction, where progesterone (P4) and progesterone receptors (PRs) have already been demonstrated to suppress contraction-associated gene expression. In our previous studies, we have found that the progesterone actions, including progesterone-induced gene expression and progesterone’s anti-inflammatory effect, are mediated by PR, GR or both. In this study, we used microarrays to find P4 and IL-1β responsive genes and which IL-1β responsive genes were repressed by P4. These data may provide a broader view of gene networks and cellular functions regulated by P4 and IL-1βin human myometrial cells. In our future study, this will also help us understand the role of PR and GR in human parturition. Primary cultures of human myometrial cells were grown from myometrial biopsies obtained at the time of elective caesarean section. Cells were exposed to different stimuli, IL-1β (5ng/mL) and P4 (10 µM), either alone or in combination for 6 h, and then total RNA were extracted from each culture. Three comparisons were carried out including: 1. V vs. P4; 2. V vs. IL-1β; 3. IL-1β vs. IL-1β+P4.