A product from human decidua inhibits prostaglandin production by human amnion.

Human decidua was obtained from nonlaboring women after elective cesarean section. Decidua was incubated with media alone for 20 hours and this media (decidual conditioned media) was then incubated with amnion cells in monolayer culture and amnion rings. A 90% decrease in PGE2 production by amnion cells in monolayer culture was demonstrated in the presence of decidual conditioned media when compared to controls. In short term incubations with fresh amnion, decidual conditioned media decreased the production of PGE2 in amnion by greater than 25% of the control rate of production in 17 of 21 experiments. These observations suggest that human decidua produces a factor capable of inhibiting prostaglandin production by amnion.