Chemotactic factor in the pregnant rabbit uterine cervix

OBJECTIVE: Neutrophil accumulation is one of the characteristic changes observed in uterine cervical stroma at term pregnancy, but chemotactic activity in the tissue is obscure. Our study examined the existence and production of chemotactic factor in the rabbit uterine cervix. STUDY DESIGN: Uterine cervical explants of rabbits at term pregnancy and nonpregnant rabbits were cultured with and without interleukin-1α. Rat neutrophilic chemotaxis in culture media was evaluated with a Boyden chamber. RESULTS: Tissue extract from the pregnant rabbit uterine cervix at term pregnancy contained more chemoattractive activity than the nonpregnant cervix. Production of chemoattractant from cultured rabbit cervical explants at term pregnancy was also higher than that from nonpregnant explants. The addition of interleukin-1α to the culture system promoted its production. This chemoattractant was characterized as a true chemotactic factor and heat-stable and trypsin-sensitive protein with an apparent relative molecular mass of 16,200. So far, these properties are very similar to those of the interleukin-8 family. Rabbit uterine cervical fibroblast is characterized as a chemotactic factor-producing cell in the rabbit uterine cervix. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that interleukin-8-like chemotactic factor participates in the cervical ripening at term pregnancy and that the production of this factor is controlled effectively by interleukin-1.