[The role of progesterone in the regulation of gene expression of insulin-like growth factor-I receptor in human decidual stromal cells of early pregnancy in vitro].

Objective: To assess the effect of progesterone on the gene expression of insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-I R) in human decidual stromal cells of early pregnancy in vitro.

Methods: Semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, using beta-ACTIN as internal standard, was applied to determine the levels of IGF-I R mRNA in human decidual stromal cells of early pregnancy in vitro after cultured with different concentrations of progesterone for 72 hours or cultured with 0.1 mumol/L of progesterone for different periods of time.

Results: The expression of IGF-I R mRNA was significantly positive in human decidual stromal cells of early pregnancy in vitro. The levels of IGF-I R mRNA were down-regulated by progesterone, and showed significant negative-correlation with the concentration of progesterone (r = -0.680, P < 0.001). The levels of IGF-I R mRNA showed no significant correlation with time when the final concentration of progesterone was 0.1 mumol/L (r = 0.005, P > 0.05).

Conclusion: Progesterone may play an important role in the regulation of proliferation and decidualization of stromal cells by down-regulating the expression of IGF-I R mRNA in human decidual stromal cells of early pregnancy, which is important for the maintenance of early pregnancy.