Expression of 11βHSD enzymes, GR, and MR in decidualizing HESCs. A, Primary HESCs were treated with 8-bromo-cAMP and MPA in time-course experiments lasting 8 d. Total protein lysates were harvested at the indicated time points and subjected to Western blot analysis for 11βHSD1, 11βHSD2, GR, and MR. β-Actin served as a loading control. B, 11βHSD1 activity was measured using radio-thin layer chromatography in HESCs treated with 8-bromo-cAMP and MPA for the indicated time points. C, Induction of 11βHSD1 mRNA in 10 independent primary cultures treated with 8-bromo-cAMP and MPA for either 4 or 8 d. The data show fold change in expression relative to levels in undifferentiated HESCs (dotted line). Note the logarithmic y-axis. The horizontal bar indicates median. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.001. D and E, The same sample set was analyzed for GR and MR, respectively.