Effect of human follicle-stimulating hormone on immunomodulatory function of decidual mesenchymal stem cells by reducing interleukin-6 levels

OBJECTIVE: Women with an elevated basal FSH indicate diminished ovarian reserve and reduced oocyte and embryo numbers. DMSCs are likely to be involved in immune tolerance of pregnancy maintenance. We investigate the effect of follicle-stimulating hormones on the immunomodulatory functions of DMSCs. METHODS: DMSCs were primary cultured from decidual tissue. Pretreated DMSCs with mitomycin C, combined with CD4(+) T lymphocytes, DMSCs + CD4(+)T co-culture system was established. Different physiological dose FSH (3 ng/ml,10 ng/ml,30 ng/ml,100 ng/ml) were used to co-culture system. Cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) and other proteins (FSHR, MyD88) were measured. RESULTS: Compared with the control group (FSH (0 ng/mL) + CD4(+)T + DMSCs), the FSH concentration was 10, 30, and 100 ng/ml, IL-6 levels were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). IL-6, MyD88 protein expression was remarkably decreased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: FSH/FSHR could negatively regulate the immunosuppressive function of DMSCs by reducing secretion of IL-6 levels through MyD88 pathways, but upstream and downstream signalling pathways require further validation. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13048-022-00993-3.