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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Aug 1.
Published in final edited form as: Reprod Toxicol. 2019 May 30;87:100–107. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.05.064

Figure 3. THC, CBD and CBN inhibit THESC decidualization.

Figure 3.

A. Shown are phase contrasts (a-e) that were recorded to monitor morphological changes during THSEC decidualization. Image a, shows undecidualized THESCs that were narrow and fibroblast-like. Image b, depicts decidualized THESCs (with the MEF treatment alone) that were transformed into secretory cells with large cytoplasmic volume. Images c, d and e illustrate morphologies of decidualizing THESCs in the presence of 0.5 μM THC, CBD and CBN, respectively. The CB treatments compromised the decidualization-associated morphological changes. The CBN treatment led to heavy cellular vacuolation (e) compared to treatments with THC (c) or CBD (d). The scale bars in images a-e represent 250 μm. B. THESC decidualization (with MEF treatment alone) was associated with a significant increase in PRL mRNA expression that was significantly reduced when THESCs were decidualized in the presence of 0.5 μM THC, CBD or CBN. *indicates a p value of ≤ 0.05 compared to decidualized cells with no THC, CBD or CBN treatment. C. THESC decidualization (with MEF treatment alone) was associated with a significant increase in secreted PRL protein levels in media and this increase was significantly reduced when THSECs were decidualized in the presence of 0.5 μM THC, CBD or CBN. *indicates a p value of ≤ 0.05 compared to undecidualized cells, and $ indicates a p value of ≤ 0.05 compared to decidualized cells with no THC, CBD or CBN treatment. N and D in panels B and C represent undecidualized and decidualized THESCs, respectively. Data shown are means ± SEM of three independent experiments performed in duplicate in each experiment. D. The decrease in PRL mRNA by THC treatment was rescued when decidualized THSECs were co-treated with 10 μM SR141716 (SR); however, SR had no effects on PRL mRNA when THSECs were decidualized with no THC treatment. *indicates significant increase (p ≤ 0.05) of PRL mRNA in decidualized THESCs (with MEF treatment alone) compared to undecidualized cells. #indicates significant decrease (p ≤ 0.05) of PRL mRNA in decidualized cells with THC treatment compared to decidualized cells with no THC treatment (MEF alone); $indicates significant increase (p ≤ 0.05) of PRL mRNA in decidualized cells with SR and THC treatment compared to THC treatment alone. Data shown are means ± SEM of three independent experiments performed with 4 replications in each experiment. These results indicate that THC, CBD and CBN can delay or compromise the process of uterine endometrial stromal cell decidualization.