Figure 4.

The co-culture of MCs with endometrial cells, in the presence of EM-PF, induced the expression of C3, which was inhibited by C3a blocking antibody. (A) The C3 gene expression was evaluated by RT-qPCR on endometrial AN3CA cells alone (resting conditions), stimulated with TNF-α (+TNF-α) or with a pool of EM peritoneal fluid (+EM-PF); or co-cultured with MCs alone (+HMC-1), or with EM-PF (+HMC-1+ EM-PF). Similar experiments were performed in the presence of anti-C3a blocking antibody (B), or in the presence of anti-TNF-α blocking antibodies [(Infliximab, Adalimumab or Certolizumab), (C)]. In the left part of the figure the graphical representations of the blocking co-culture experiments. Data are expressed as mean of three independent experiments conducted in double ± standard error. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, n.s., not significant.