中文摘要：

目的 研究孕酮在淋球菌引起的中性粒细胞炎症反应中的作用.方法 提取正常人外周血中性粒细胞,根据是否加入孕酮,将其分为孕酮组、淋球菌组、干预组（孕酮＋淋球菌）及对照组.荧光定量RT-PCR分别测定在0、3、8、12 h各组中性粒细胞中诱导型一氧化氮合酶（iNOS）、TNF-α、IL-1β mRNA含量,并用Western印迹测定iNOS蛋白水平.结果 淋球菌组和干预组中iNOS、TNF-α、IL-1β mRNA表达水平均升高 淋球菌组在8 h达到高峰,以后逐渐下降 干预组三者水平明显低于淋球菌组（P＜0.05）.而孕酮组、对照组各因子含量无明显变化.Western印迹结果显示,淋球菌组和干预组iNOS蛋白表达水平亦升高,前者明显高于后者（P＜0.05）.结论 孕酮下调中性粒细胞iNOS、TNF-α及IL-1β的表达,抑制淋球菌引起的中性粒细胞炎症反应,这一机制可能在女性无症状感染中起作用.

英文摘要：

Objective To evaluate the effects of progesterone on polymorphonuclear leukocyte （PMN）-mediated inflammatory responses to gonococcal infection. Methods Peripheral neutrophils were isolated from heparinized peripheral blood obtained from normal individuals, then divided into 4 groups： progesterone group （pretreated with progesterone only）, gonococcus group （stimulated with gonococcal suspension）, intervention group （pretreated with progesterone followed by stimuation with gonococcal suspension）, and control group （receiving no pretreatment or stimulation）. Real-time RT-PCR was conducted to detect the mRNA expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS）, tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-1β （IL-1β）in neutrophils from all groups at 0, 3, 8, 12 and 24 hours after the last treatment, and iNOS protein levels were measured by Western-blot in gonococcus group and intervention group. Results Real-time RT-PCR indicated that the expression levels of iNOS, TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA increased in gonococcus group and intervention group, and reached their peak at 8 hours in gonococcus group, while no significant changes were noted in the above parameters in progesterone group or control group. Also, the level of iNOS, TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA was lower in intervention group than that in the gonococcus group （P 〈 0.05）. Western blot showed an elevation in iNOS protein expression in both gonococcus group and intervention group, and the former group was higher than the latter group in the parameter （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusions Progesterone can downregulate the expressions of iNOS, TNF-α and IL-1 β by PMNs, inhibit the PMN-induced inflammatory responses induced by gonococcal infection, which is likely to be associated with the asymptomatic gonococcal infection in women.