FIG. 5.

Effects of E₂, MPA, IL1B, and TNF on MMP2 and MMP9 gelatinase activity by first-trimester decidual cell monolayers. Confluent, leukocyte-free decidual cells were incubated for 7 days in 10⁻⁸ M E₂ (upper panel), or E₂ + 10⁻⁷ M MPA (lower panel), then switched to DM with corresponding steroid(s) with or without 1 ng/ml of IL1B or TNF for 24 h. Aliquots of conditioned DM were subjected to gelatin zymography after pretreatment with and without the organomercurial APMA, which converts the pro-forms (Pro) of the MMPs to their active forms (Act). Cont, Control; neg, negative control.