Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta inhibit the synthesis and release of renin from human decidual cells.

Cytokines modulate hormone expression in many cell types, including the expression of renin in juxtaglomerular cells. However, the effect of cytokines on the expression of renin from extrarenal cells is unknown. In this paper, we have examined whether tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) modulate the release of renin from human decidual cells. Continuous exposure of primary decidual cell cultures from term pregnancies to TNF alpha and IL-1 beta caused dose-dependent inhibition of renin release. The maximal inhibitions by TNF alpha and IL-1 beta were 75.5% and 55.2%, respectively, and the half-maximal effective doses of TNF alpha and IL-1 beta were 30 and 1.1 pmol/L, respectively. The decrease in renin release by the cytokines was statistically significant on days 2-5 (P > 0.001 at each time) and was accompanied by inhibition of renin synthesis and renin messenger ribonucleic acid levels. The renin messenger ribonucleic acid levels in cells exposed for 4 days to TNF alpha (50 ng/mL) or IL-1 beta (50 pg/mL) were 58.0% and 37.7% less than those in control cells, respectively. As decidual macrophages express TNF alpha and IL-1 beta, the results of this study strongly suggest a paracrine role for cytokines in the regulation of decidual renin expression. The effect of these cytokines on renin expression in decidual cells is opposite that in juxtaglomerular cells.