Investigations on regulation of HCG by cortisol (prednisolon) in trophoblast cells in vitro

OBJECTIVE: Trophoblast cells synthesize a variety of hormones, in which hCG plays a major role. On the strength of special enzymes they are capable of catalyzing the reaction cortisol <--> cortisone. In vitro experiments showed the influence on ACTH- and cortisol secretion by CRH, ACTH and prednisolon. In this study we describe the influence of cortisol (prednisolon) on hCG production of trophoblast cells in vitro. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Trophoblast cells were prepared from human term placentae by standard trypsin-DNAse dispersion of villous tissue followed by a percoll gradient centrifugation step. After adjusting the cell suspension to a defined cell concentration of 1 x 10 (6) cells/ml cells were cultivated. The addition of prednisolon followed every eight hours. The samples were collected after 24 hours for a total of 96 hours also from unstimulated cultures. Culture supernatants were assayed for hCG by enzyme-immunometric methods. RESULTS: The addition of prednisolon (50 microg/ml) stimulates the concentration of hCG in a time-depending manner. CONCLUSIONS: The trophoblast cell shows an increase in the concentration of hCG after stimulation with cortisol. For the first time an influence of cortisol (prednisolon) on hCG production could be demonstrated in cultured trophoblast cells.