Relationship of SOCS3 and TGF-β with IDO expression in early pregnancy chorionic villi and decidua

We aimed to investigate the expression of suppressors cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygense (IDO) and to analyse the relationship of SOCS3 and TGF-β with IDO expression in early pregnancy chorionic villi and decidua in the maternal-fetal interface. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical method were used to detect the expression of TGF-β, SOCS3 and IDO in chorionic villi and decidua tissues of normal pregnant women. SOCS3, TGF-β and IDO protein was identified in chorionic villi and decidua tissues of normal pregnant women and there was a negative correlation between the expression of IDO and SOCS3, but TGF-β expression was positively correlated with IDO expression. The levels of IDO expression in the decidua from normal pregnancies were significantly higher than those in chorionic villi, while the expression of SOCS3 was no significant difference between decidua and chorionic villi. In normal physiological state of pregnancy, SOCS3 and TGF-β may be involved in the regulation of immune tolerance by positive or negative regulation of IDO expression at maternal fetal interface.