Intermediate filament protein as a marker of uterine stromal cell decidualization.

An increase in intermediate filaments has been reported in rat uterine stromal cells undergoing decidualization in vivo and in vitro. In order to identify biochemical correlates of this morphological change, we have identified (two dimensional gel electrophoresis, Western blots, indirect immunofluorescent staining) the constitutive intermediate filament proteins of stromal cells decidualizing in vivo and isolated stroma decidualizing in vitro as vimentin and desmin. Vimentin is common to all uterine stromal cells but increases, proportional to total cell protein, in decidualized stroma. Barely detectable in nondecidualized stroma, desmin, unlike vimentin, increases during decidualization at a rate greater than the increase in total cell protein. Neither the increase in vimentin or desmin is observed in hormonally sensitized, nondecidual stromal cells. Desmin, because it is selectively expressed in decidualizing stroma, could be considered unique enough to serve as a marker of decidual cell differentiation.