IFN-gamma is produced by polymorphonuclear neutrophils in human uterine endometrium and by cultured peripheral blood polymorphonuclear neutrophils

Cytokines present in the human uterus play an important role both in modulating immune responses to infectious challenge and in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. In particular, successful implantation and pregnancy is thought to require the establishment of a Th2 environment, while Th1 cytokines are associated with pregnancy loss and infertility. On the other hand, a Th1 response appears to be required for the resolution of acute infection. Using novel confocal microscopic analysis of fresh sections of human tissue, we have investigated the production of IFN-gamma, a Th1 cytokine, in human endometria. Extracellular IFN-gamma, mostly associated with matrix components, was located immediately beneath the luminal epithelium and along the glandular epithelium proximal to the lumen. As evidenced by intracellular staining, IFN-gamma is produced by both stromal cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes through all stages of the menstrual cycle. Surprisingly, the stromal cell containing intracellular IFN-gamma was identified as a polymorphonuclear neutrophil on the basis of its reactivity with a panel of mAbs and its nuclear morphology. We further found that polymorphonuclear neutrophils isolated from normal donors produce IFN-gamma in response to stimulation with LPS, IL-12, and TNF-alpha. Taken together, these findings suggest that polymorphonuclear neutrophils are capable of producing IFN-gamma both in vitro and in vivo, indicating that their role in shaping immune responses may be more extensive than previously thought. Furthermore, these studies strongly suggest that polymorphonuclear neutrophils play an important role in determining immune responsiveness within the female reproductive tract.