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Interleukin-1 (IL1) is believed to play a central role in the immuno-inflammatory process associated with endometriosis. IL1 triggers cell activation via its receptor type I (IL1R1), but its receptor type II (IL1R2) is known instead as a scavenger that buffers the cytokine's effects. Our previous studies have shown increased expression of IL1R1 in active endometriotic implants compared to normal and endometriosis women-derived endometrial tissues, and a simultaneous decrease in IL1R2 expression at the protein level. In the present study, in situ hybridization demonstrated a noticeable decrease in IL1R2 mRNA hybridization score in eutopic and matched ectopic endometrial tissues of women with endometriosis compared to normal women in the stroma (P

In C11-MDCK cells, which resemble intercalated cells from collecting ducts of the canine kidney, P2Y agonists promote transient activation of the Na+,K+,Cl- cotransporter (NKCC), followed by its sustained inhibition. We designed this study to identify P2Y receptor subtypes involved in dual regulation of this carrier. Real time polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that C11-MDCK cells express abundant P2Y1 and P2Y2 mRNA compared with that of other P2Y receptor subtypes. The rank order of potency of agents (ATP approximately UTP2-(methylthio)-ATP (2MeSATP); adenosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate (ADPbetaS) inactive) indicated that P2Y2 rather than P2Y1 receptors mediate a 3-4-fold activation of NKCC within the first 5-10 min of nucleotide addition. NKCC activation in ATP-treated cells was abolished by the intracellular calcium chelator 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, calmodulin (CaM) antagonists trifluoroperazine and W-7, and KN-62, an inhibitor of Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein kinase II. By contrast with the transient activation, 30-min incubation with nucleotides produced up to 4-5-fold inhibition of NKCC, and this inhibition exhibited a rank order of potency (2MeSATPADPbetaSATPUTP) typical of P2Y1 receptors. Unlike the early response, delayed inhibition of NKCC occurred in 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid-loaded cells and was completely abolished by the P2Y1 antagonists MRS2179 and MRS2500. Transient activation and delayed inhibition of NKCC in C11 cell monolayers were observed after the addition of ATP to mucosal and serosal solutions, respectively. NKCC inhibition triggered by basolateral application of ADPbetaS was abolished by MRS2500. Our results thus show that transient activation and delayed inhibition of NKCC in ATP-treated C11-MDCK cells is mediated by Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein kinase II- and Ca2+-independent signaling triggered by apical P2Y2 and basolateral P2Y1 receptors, respectively.

This study examines the mechanism of P2Y-induced Cl− secretion in monolayers of C7–Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells triggered by basolateral application of ATP and measured as transcellular short current (ISC). Both ATP-induced arachidonic acid (AA) synthesis and ISC in ATP-treated cells were abolished by the phosholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor, AACOCF3. The cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor indomethacin decreased ISC and cAMP production in ATP-treated cells with an IC50 of ∼0.3 μm. ATP led to rapid activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA), as estimated by phosphorylation of a vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein. PKA activity and ISC evoked by ATP, as well as by prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), were diminished in the presence of the PKA inhibitor H-89 or an adenovirus-mediated expression of PKA-inhibitor protein, PKI. In contrast, indomethacin completely blocked the increment of PKA and ISC triggered by ATP and AA, but did not affect PKA activation and ISC detected with PGE1. The kinetics of [Ca2+]i elevation in ATP- and thapsigargin-treated cells were similar and suppressed by the Cai2+ chelator BAPTA. Neither baseline nor maximal increment of ATP-induced ISC was affected by thapsigargin and BAPTA. Real-time PCR showed that C7 cells express more mRNA for P2Y1 and P2Y2 than for other P2Y receptor subtypes. The rank order of potency (2MeSATP > ATP > ADP ≫ UTP) indicates that P2Y1 rather than P2Y2 receptors contribute to PKA and ISC activation. Viewed collectively, these data show that Cl− secretion in C7–MDCK monolayers treated with basolateral ATP is triggered by P2Y1 receptors and is mediated by subsequent [Ca2+]i-independent activation of PLA2 and PKA.

Objective.To investigate the level of expression of prostaglandin receptivity and uptake factors in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis.Design.Prospective study.Setting.Human reproduction research laboratory.Patients.Seventy-eight patients with endometriosis and thirty healthy control subjects.Intervention(s).Endometrial and endometriotic tissue samples were obtained during laparoscopic surgery.Main Outcome Measure(s).Real-time polymerase chain reaction assay of mRNA encoding prostaglandin E2 receptors (EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4), prostaglandin F2αreceptor (FP), prostaglandin transporter (PGT), and multidrug resistance-associated protein 4 (MRP4); immunohistochemical localization of expressed proteins.Results.Marked increases in receptors EP3, EP4, and FP and transporters PGT and MRP4 in ectopic endometrial tissue were noted, without noticeable change associated with disease stage. An increase in EP3 expression and decreases in FP and PGT were observed in the eutopic endometrium of endometriosis patients in conjunction with the phases of the menstrual cycle.Conclusion(s).This study is the first to demonstrate a possible relationship between endometriosis and enhanced prostaglandin activity. In view of the wide range of prostaglandin functions, increasing cell receptivity and facilitating uptake in endometrial tissue could contribute to the initial steps of overgrowth and have an important role to play in the pathogenesis and symptoms of this disease.

Objective To investigate interleukin (IL) 1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAcP) expression in the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis. Design Retrospective study. Setting Human reproduction research laboratory. Patient(s) Sixty-six women with endometriosis and 60 healthy women with no laparoscopic evidence of endometriosis. Intervention(s) Endometrial tissue samples were obtained during laparoscopic surgery. Main Outcome Measure(s) IL1RAcP protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and ELISA, and IL1RAcP mRNA expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Result(s) This study showed a significant downregulation of soluble (s)IL1RAcP expression in the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis compared to normal women, occurring at the protein or mRNA level. This finding appeared to vary according to endometriosis stage, being more obvious in the earliest (I and II) than the latest (III and IV) stages of the disease. However, the membrane-bound IL1RAcP did not show any noticeable endometriosis-related change, neither at the protein or mRNA level. Conclusion(s) In view of the wide spectrum of IL-1 inflammatory and growth-promoting effects, downregulation of sIL1RAcP, which is known for inhibiting IL1, indicates a profound defect in the capability of endometrial cells of women with endometriosis to counterregulate IL-1 effects and may represent an important mechanism underlying the ability of these cells to implant and develop into host tissues.

Purinergic inhibition of Na-K-Cl cotransport has been noted in various renal epithelial cells derived from the collecting tubule, including Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. In recent studies, we have observed purinergic inhibition of Na-K-Cl cotransport in C11-MDCK subclones (α-intercalated-like cells). Interestingly, Na-K-Cl cotransport activity was also detected in C7-MDCK subclones (principal-like cells) but was not affected by ATP. In this investigation, we have transfected the human Na-K-Cl cotransporter (huNKCC1) in both C11 and C7 cells to determine whether these differences in NKCC regulation by ATP were due to cell-specific purinoceptor signaling pathways or to cell-specific isoforms/splice variants of the transporter. In both cell lines, we found that endogenous as well as huNKCC1-derived cotransport activity was restricted to the basolateral side. In addition, we were able to show that extracellular application of 100 μM ATP or 100 μM UTP abolished NKCC activity in both mock- and huNKCC1-transfected C11 cells but not in mock- and huNKCC1-transfected C7 cells; in C11 cells, intriguingly, this inhibition was not affected by inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis and occurred even though expression levels of UTP-sensitive P2Y2-, P2Y4-, and P2Y6-purinoceptors were not different from those observed in C7 cells. These results suggest that C11 cells express an undetermined type of UTP-sensitive P2-purinoceptors or a unique P2Y-purinoceptor-triggered signaling cascade that leads to inhibition of NKCC1.

This study examines purinergic modulation of short-circuit current (I(SC)) in monolayers of C7- and C11-MDCK cells resembling principal and intercalated cells from collecting ducts. In C7 monolayers, basolateral and apical application of ATP led to similar elevation of I(SC), consisting of a transient phase with maximal I(SC) increment of approximately 10 microA/cm2 terminating in 2-3 min, and a sustained phase with maximal I(SC) less than 2 microA/cm2 and terminating in 10 min. ATP-induced I(SC) was insensitive to the presence of Na+, Cl- and inhibitors of K+ (Ba2+, charibdotoxin (ChTX), clotrimazole (CLT), apamin) and Na + (amiloride) channels in the mucosal solution. Inhibitors of Cl- channels, DIDS and NPPB, added to apical membranes at a concentration of 100 microM, did not affect ATP-induced I(SC), whereas at 500 microM, NPPB inhibited it by 70-80%. Substitution of Cl- with NO3- in serosal medium decreased ATP-induced I(SC) by 2-3-fold and elevation of [K+]o from 6 to 60 mM changed its direction. Basolateral NPPB inhibited I(SC) by 10-fold with ED50 of approximately 30 microM, whereas ChTX (50 nM) and CLT (2 microM) diminished this parameter by 30-50%. Suppression of Na+, K+, Cl- cotransport with bumetanide did not affect the transient phase of ATP-induced I(SC) and slightly diminished its sustained phase. ATP increased ouabainand bumetanide-resistant K+ (86Rb) influx across the basolateral membrane by 7-8-fold, which was partially inhibited with ChTX and CLT. ATP-treated C11 cells exhibited negligible I(SC), and their presence did not affect I(SC) triggered by ATP in C7 cells. Thus, our results show that transcellular ion current in ATP-treated C7 cells is mainly caused by the coupled function of apical and basolateral anion transporters providing transient Cl- secretion. These transporters possess different sensitivities to anion channel blocker NPBB and are under the control of basolateral K+ channels(s) inhibited by ChTX and CLT.