PeproTech Inc.
Originally published online as doi:10.1189/jlb.0108067 on August 6, 2008

Published online before print August 6, 2008
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
jlb.0108067v1
84/5/1346    most recent
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Wan, H.
Right arrow Articles by Versnel, M. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Wan, H.
Right arrow Articles by Versnel, M. A.
(Journal of Leukocyte Biology. 2008;84:1346-1352.)
© 2008 by Society for Leukocyte Biology

Chorionic gonadotropin up-regulates long pentraxin 3 expression in myeloid cells

Hui Wan*,1, Cornelia G. van Helden-Meeuwsen*, Cecilia Garlanda{dagger}, Lonneke M. E. Leijten*, Virginia Maina{dagger}, Nisar A. Khan*, Hemmo A. Drexhage*, Alberto Mantovani{dagger}, Robbert Benner* and Marjan A. Versnel*

* Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and
{dagger} Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Milan, Italy

1 Correspondence: Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, NL-3015 GE Rotterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: h.wan{at}erasmusmc.nl

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an acute-phase response protein that initiates innate immunity against diverse microorganisms. It is produced in response to proinflammatory stimuli by many cell types including myeloid cells. Increased serum levels of PTX3 are found in pregnancy, a condition characterized by increased serum levels of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). As myeloid cells bear the receptor for hCG, we hypothesized that hCG can promote innate immunity by affecting the PTX3 production by myeloid cells. In this paper, we demonstrate that hCG increases PTX3 expression by human monocytes, mouse dendritic cells, and mouse macrophages in vitro. This increased PTX3 expression by hCG is mediated via the protein kinase A signaling pathway. hCG injection in mice also increases the PTX3 serum levels. This serum PTX3 is produced mainly by blood monocytes, which from pregnant women, express more PTX3 compared with nonpregnant controls. The hCG-induced hormones progesterone and estrogen also increase the PTX3 production by human monocytes. In conclusion, hCG increases innate immunity via induction of PTX3 in myeloid cells.

Key Words: hCG • PTX3 • monocytes • M{varphi} • DC • pregnancy • innate immunity