Background: Uterine cervical ripening process is an active biochemical process similar in part to inflammatory reaction. In this process, hyaluronan plays important roles including facilitation of tissue hydration, release of matrix metalloproteinases and migration of inflammatory cells. The activities of hyaluronan are mediated by the hyaluronan binding proteins, hyaladherins. In the present study, we investigated the mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha stimulated gene-6 (TSG-6), a member of the hyaladherin family, in cultured human uterine fibroblasts and uterine cervical tissues.
Methods: We developed one-step RT-PCR method for the quantification of TSG-6 mRNA and quantified the expression of TSG-6 mRNA in cultured human uterine fibroblasts, treated with or not proinflammatory cytokines, and TSG-6 mRNA in uterine cervical tissues.
Results: We clarified that [1] TSG-6 mRNA was expressed constitutively in cultured human uterine cervical fibroblasts, [2] expression of TSG-6 mRNA was upregulated in a dose dependent manner by proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, which were key mediators in the cervical ripening process, [3] expression of TSG-6 mRNA in uterine cervices during parturition was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that in a non-pregnant state.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that TSG-6 might participate in the cervical ripening process.