Progesterone regulates mouse dendritic cells differentiation and maturation

Progesterone, an important factor in the maintenance of gestation in humans and animals, has been demonstrated to lower immune response during pregnancy [Siiteri PK, Stites DP, Immunologic and endocrine interrelationships in pregnancy, Biol Reprod, (1982); Watnick AS, Russo RA, Survival of skin homografts in uteri of pregnant and progesterone–estrogen treated rats, Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, (1968)], which is one of many hypotheses trying to explain fetal tolerance. Because dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in the initiation of immune response, we examined the effects of progesterone on the differentiation and maturation of DCs derived from mouse bone marrow cells. Our data suggest that progesterone may be involved in the maternal immune response by modulating DC differentiation, maturation and function.