Granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the murine reproductive tract: stimulation by seminal factors

Abstract

The activity of GM-CSF during early pregnancy in the murine uterine lumen in vivo and in media conditioned by uterine cells in vitro has been assessed. GM-CSF was detected in uterine luminal fluid recovered by lavage on the morning after syngeneic mating (median level 5.7 CFUc U/uterus) and following mating with vasectomized (5.1 U/uterus) or allogeneic males (4.4 U/uterus), with significantly lesser (P less than 0.05) amounts recovered from the uteri of superovulated, mated mice. By contrast, GM-CSF was only detectable (greater than 0.5 U/uterus) in the luminal fluid of three of 22 unmated oestrous mice examined. No activity was detected in secretions from male accessory glands including seminal vesicle, epididymis, prostate and coagulating gland (less than 0.5 U/gland). GM-CSF was found at higher levels in supernatants from cell monolayers prepared by tryptic digest of the uteri of Day 1 mated mice than those from unmated oestrous mice (P less than 0.05). Little GM-CSF was detected in supernatants from ovariectomized mice. An alpha-GM-CSF polyvalent antibody neutralized the FD5/12 bioassay response confirming the identity of the lymphokine. The interleukins IL-2 and IL-3 were not detected in uterine luminal fluid nor in media conditioned by cell monolayers. We postulate that elevated uterine GM-CSF activity after mating is elicited by a non-sperm associated, non-MHC component of the ejaculate and synthesized by a hormone-responsive endometrial cell population. This cytokine may have an embryotrophic role or contribute to priming of the uterus for implantation.