Uterine glands coordinate on-time embryo implantation and impact endometrial decidualization for pregnancy success.
Nat Commun 2018;
9:2435. [PMID:
29934619 PMCID:
PMC6015089 DOI:
10.1038/s41467-018-04848-8]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Uterine glands are essential for pregnancy establishment. By employing forkhead box A2 (FOXA2)-deficient mouse models coupled with leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) repletion, we reveal definitive roles of uterine glands in embryo implantation and stromal cell decidualization. Here we report that LIF from the uterine glands initiates embryo-uterine communication, leading to embryo attachment and stromal cell decidualization. Detailed histological and molecular analyses discovered that implantation crypt formation does not involve uterine glands, but removal of the luminal epithelium is delayed and subsequent decidualization fails in LIF-replaced glandless but not gland-containing FOXA2-deficient mice. Adverse ripple effects of those dysregulated events in the glandless uterus result in embryo resorption and pregnancy failure. These studies provide evidence that uterine glands synchronize embryo-endometrial interactions, coordinate on-time embryo implantation, and impact stromal cell decidualization, thereby ensuring embryo viability, placental growth, and pregnancy success.
The transcription factor FOXA2 is specifically expressed in uterine glands. Here, using two conditional FOXA2 knockout mouse models, the authors show that glandular epithelia of the endometrium are required for timely embryo implantation and subsequent endometrial decidualization during successful pregnancy establishment.
Collapse