Effect of anticardiolipin antibodies on prolactin and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 production by human decidual cells

PROBLEM: The effect of anticardiolipin antibodies (ACAs) on basal- and growth factor-stimulated prolactin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein (BP)-1 production by cultured human decidual cells was investigated. METHOD OF THE STUDY: Decidual cells were cultured for 24, 48, or 96 hr in medium supplemented with 5% ACA-containing or 5% control serum and increasing concentrations of insulin (1-10 mu g/L) or IGF-I (10-100 ng/L). RESULTS: No significant increase in prolactin production was observed after addition of increasing doses of insulin and IGF-I in the presence of ACA-containing serum, while a dose-dependent stimulation was seen with control serum. Time-dependent prolactin accumulation was also reduced when cells were cultured in the former conditions. IGF BP-I release was not affected by insulin and IGF-I in the presence of both sera. However, lower IGF BP-I levels and a less pronounced time-dependent accumulation were observed in the presence of ACA-positive serum. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that ACAs affect cellular transduction mechanisms regulating critical events, such as decidual cell differentiation. These cellular dysfunctions might be relevant in the induction of some obstetric disorders typical of this syndrome.