Uterine glands coordinate on-time embryo implantation and impact endometrial decidualization for pregnancy success

Establishment of pregnancy is a critical event, and failure of embryo implantation and stromal decidualization in the uterus contribute to significant numbers of pregnancy losses in women. Glands of the uterus are essential for establishment of pregnancy in mice and likely in humans. Forkhead box a2 (FOXA2) is a transcription factor expressed specifically in the glands of the uterus and is a critical regulator of postnatal uterine gland differentiation in mice. In this study, we conditionally deleted FOXA2 in the adult mouse uterus using the lactotransferrin Cre (Ltf-Cre) model and in the neonatal mouse uterus using the progesterone receptor Cre (Pgr-Cre) model. The uteri of adult FOXA2-deleted mice were morphologically normal and contained glands, whereas the uteri of neonatal FOXA2-deleted mice were completely aglandular. Notably, adult FOXA2-deleted mice are completely infertile because of defects in blastocyst implantation and stromal cell decidualization. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a critical implantation factor of uterine gland origin, was not expressed during early pregnancy in adult FOXA2-deleted mice. Intriguingly, i.p. injections of LIF initiated blastocyst implantation in the uteri of both gland-containing and glandless adult FOXA2-deleted mice. Although pregnancy was rescued by LIF and was maintained to term in uterine gland-containing adult FOXA2-deleted mice, pregnancy failed by day 10 in neonatal FOXA2-deleted mice lacking uterine glands. These studies reveal a previously unrecognized role for FOXA2 in regulation of adult uterine function and fertility and provide original evidence that uterine glands and, by inference, their secretions play important roles in blastocyst implantation and stromal cell decidualization.

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Sexually dimorphic effects of forkhead box a2 (FOXA2) and uterine glands on decidualization and fetoplacental development

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.2014272117 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 117 (38) ◽

pp. 23952-23959

Author(s):

Pramod Dhakal ◽

Andrew M. Kelleher ◽

Susanta K. Behura ◽

Thomas E. Spencer

Keyword(s):

Embryo Implantation ◽

Conditional Knockout ◽

Sexually Dimorphic ◽

Female Fetus ◽

Conditional Deletion ◽

Forkhead Box ◽

Metrial Gland ◽

And Function ◽

Uterine Glands ◽

Offspring Health

Glands of the uterus are essential for pregnancy establishment. Forkhead box A2 (FOXA2) is expressed specifically in the glands of the uterus and a critical regulator of glandular epithelium (GE) differentiation, development, and function. Mice with a conditional deletion of FOXA2 in the adult uterus, created using the lactotransferrin iCre (Ltf-iCre) model, have a morphologically normal uterus with glands, but lack FOXA2-dependent GE-expressed genes, such as leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Adult FOXA2 conditional knockout (cKO;LtfiCre/+Foxa2f/f) mice are infertile due to defective embryo implantation arising from a lack of LIF, a critical implantation factor of uterine gland origin. However, intraperitoneal injections of LIF can initiate embryo implantation in the uterus of adult FOXA2 cKO mice with pregnancies maintained to term. Here, we tested the hypothesis that FOXA2-regulated genes in the uterine glands impact development of the decidua, placenta, and fetus. On gestational day 8.5, the antimesometrial and mesometrial decidua transcriptome was noticeably altered in LIF-replaced FOXA2 cKO mice. Viable fetuses were reduced in FOXA2 cKO mice on gestational days 12.5 and 17.5. Sex-dependent differences in fetal weight, placenta histoarchitecture, and the placenta and metrial gland transcriptome were observed between control and FOXA2 cKO mice. The transcriptome of the placenta with a female fetus was considerably more altered than the placenta with a male fetus in FOXA2 cKO dams. These studies reveal previously unrecognized sexually dimorphic effects of FOXA2 and uterine glands on fetoplacental development with potential impacts on offspring health into adulthood.

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A three-dimensional staging system of mouse endometrial gland morphogenesis

10.1101/245142 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Zer Vue ◽

Gabriel Gonzalez ◽

C. Allison Stewart ◽

Shyamin Mehra ◽

Richard R. Behringer

Keyword(s):

Embryo Implantation ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Staging System ◽

Light Sheet ◽

3D Models ◽

Uterine Receptivity ◽

Light Sheet Microscopy ◽

Uterine Gland ◽

Gland Morphogenesis ◽

Uterine Glands

AbstractEndometrial or uterine glands secrete substances essential for uterine receptivity to the embryo, implantation, conceptus survival, development, and growth. Adenogenesis is the process of gland formation within the stroma of the uterus that occurs after birth. In the mouse, uterine gland formation initiates at postnatal day (P) 5. Subsequently, the developing uterine glands invade into the adjacent stroma. Mouse uterine gland morphology is poorly understood because it is based on two-dimensional (2D) histological observations. To more fully describe uterine gland morphogenesis, we generated three-dimensional (3D) models of postnatal uterine glands from P0 to P21, using light sheet microscopy. At birth (P0), there were no glands. At P8, we found bud- and teardrop-shaped epithelial invaginations. By P11, the forming glands were elongated epithelial tubes. By P21, the elongated tubes had a sinuous morphology. These morphologies are homogeneously distributed along the anterior-posterior axis of the uterus. To facilitate uterine gland analyses, we propose a novel 3D staging system of uterine gland morphology during postnatal development in the mouse. We define 6 stages: Stage 0: Aglandular, Stage 1: Bud, Stage 2: Teardrop, Stage 3: Elongated, Stage 4: Sinuous, and Stage 5: Primary Branches. This staging system provides a standardized key to assess and quantify uterine gland morphology that can be used for studies of uterine gland development and pathology. In addition, our studies suggest that gland formation initiation occurs during P8 and P11. However, between P11 and P21 gland formation initiation stops and all glands elongate and become sinuous.

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EPAC2-mediated calreticulin regulates LIF and COX2 expression in human endometrial glandular cells

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology ◽

10.1530/jme-14-0162 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 17-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Kazuya Kusama ◽

Mikihiro Yoshie ◽

Kazuhiro Tamura ◽

Kazuhiko Imakawa ◽

Eiichi Tachikawa

Keyword(s):

Embryo Implantation ◽

Related Factors ◽

Endometrial Stromal Cells ◽

Camp Analog ◽

The Status ◽

Glandular Cells ◽

Gland Function ◽

Uterine Glands ◽

Cox2 Expression ◽

Cyclase Activator

The proper production of the implantation-related factors, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2, PTGS2), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the uterine glands is essential for embryo implantation and the establishment of endometrial receptivity. It has been shown that cAMP-mediated protein kinase A (PKA) signaling regulates the production of these factors. We have previously reported that exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 2 (EPAC2, RAPGEF4), another cAMP mediator, is involved in the differentiation of endometrial stromal cells through the regulation of the expression of calreticulin (CALR). To address whether EPAC2–CALR signaling is involved in the expression of implantation-related factors, we examined the effect of EPAC2 and CALR knockdown on their expression in cultured human endometrial glandular epithelial EM1 cells, treated with forskolin, an adenylyl cyclase activator, an EPAC-selective cAMP analog (8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-2′-O-methyl cAMP (CPT)), or a PKA-selective cAMP analog (N6-phenyl-cAMP (Phe)). In addition, the status of cell senescence was examined. EPAC2 knockdown suppressed the expression of CALR protein and mRNA in EM1 cells. Forskolin- or Phe-, but not CPT-, induced expression of LIF or PTGS2 and secretion of PGE2 was inhibited in EPAC2- or CALR-silenced EM1 cells. In addition, knockdown of EPAC2 or CALR increased senescence-associated beta galactosidase activity and expression of p21 but decreased expression of p53. These findings indicate that expression of CALR regulated by EPAC2 in endometrial glandular epithelial cells is critical for the expression of LIF and PTGS2-mediated production of PGE2 through cAMP signaling. Furthermore, EPAC2 and CALR could play a role in the maintenance of gland function.

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CHORIONIC GONADOTROPHIN, CORPUS LUTEUM FUNCTION AND EMBRYO IMPLANTATION IN THE RHESUS MONKEY

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/acta.0.071s214 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 71 (1_Suppl) ◽

pp. S214-S217 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Roland K. Meyer

Keyword(s):

Rhesus Monkey ◽

Corpus Luteum ◽

Embryo Implantation ◽

Chorionic Gonadotrophin

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Inhibition of TMEM16A impedes embryo implantation and decidualization in mice

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/rep-18-0197 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Qianrong Qi ◽

Yifan Yang ◽

Kailin Wu ◽

Qingzhen Xie

Keyword(s):

Progesterone Receptor ◽

Stromal Cells ◽

Embryo Implantation ◽

Mouse Uterus ◽

Endometrial Stromal Cells ◽

Uterine Endometrium ◽

Molecule Inhibitor ◽

Pathway Inhibition ◽

And Function ◽

Reproductive Processes

Recent studies revealed that TMEM16A is involved in several reproductive processes, including ovarian estrogen secretion and ovulation, sperm motility and acrosome reaction, fertilization, and myometrium contraction. However, little is known about the expression and function of TMEM16A in embryo implantation and decidualization. In this study, we focused on the expression and regulation of TMEM16A in mouse uterus during early pregnancy. We found that TMEM16A is up-regulated in uterine endometrium in response to embryo implantation and decidualization. Progesterone treatment could induce TMEM16A expression in endometrial stromal cells through progesterone receptor/c-Myc pathway, which is blocked by progesterone receptor antagonist or the inhibitor of c-Myc signaling pathway. Inhibition of TMEM16A by small molecule inhibitor (T16Ainh-A01) resulted in impaired embryo implantation and decidualization in mice. Treatment with either specific siRNA of Tmem16a or T16Ainh-A01 inhibited the decidualization and proliferation of mouse endometrial stromal cells. In conclusion, our results revealed that TMEM16A is involved in embryo implantation and decidualization in mice, compromised function of TMEM16A may lead to impaired embryo implantation and decidualization.

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