Stromal cell influence on estradiol-responsive gene expression in the endocervical epithelium of rhesus macaques

In this study we evaluated how endocervical stromal cells influence hormone-responsive gene expression in primary rhesus macaque endocervical epithelial cells. Using a co-culture model, we demonstrate that stromal cells alter epithelial transcriptional responses to estradiol in a gene-specific manner, including effects on CFTR, PGR, and ESR2 expression. These findings highlight the importance of stromal-epithelial interactions in cervical biology and suggest that incorporating stromal components may improve the physiologic relevance of in vitro models.