Synthesis and Release of Glycosylated Prolactin by Human Decidua in Vitro*

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Abstract
To determine whether human decidual tissue synthesizes and secretes a glycosylated form of PRL (G-hPRL), explants of decidua obtained after normal term delivery were cultured for up to 5 days. During each day of incubation, the decidual explants incorporated [3H]mannose and [3H]glucosamine into immunoprecipitable G-hPRL. The explants released 33–50% less G-hPRL than hPRL. The release of decidual G-hPRL was unaffected by treatment with TRH (10-4–10-8 M) or dopamine (10-5–10-9 M) during a 4-h incubation period. G-hPRL also was sought in samples of amniotic fluid. Glycosylated hPRL was detected in all amniotic fluid samples from normal pregnant women at 32–40 weeks of gestation. These results indicate that human decidual explants in vitro may be used as a model system to study the secretion of GhPRL and its regulation during pregnancy.