Mixed-lineage leukaemia 1 contributes to endometrial stromal cells progesterone responsiveness during decidualization

Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMSCs) Enhance Endometrial Stromal Cell Migration and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Adenomyosis Through Upregulation of Neuropilin 1

Hormone support (estrogen and progesterone) is a key factor in decidualization and embryo implantation. Elevated levels of estrogen lead to luteal phase defects through Neuropilin 1, a membranecytoskeleton junction protein. This study aimed to explore the effect of BMSCs on endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) in adenomyosis. ESCs obtained from patients with adenomyosis were cocultured with BMSCs in the absence of presence of Neuropilin 1 inhibitor followed by analysis of expression of decidualization-related genes by RT-qPCR and western blot, cell viability by MTT assay, cell invasion and migration by Transwell assay, oxidative stress factors by ROS kit. Treatment with Neuropilin 1 inhibitor significantly decreased ESC proliferation and invasion, blocked epithelialmesenchymal transition (EMT) process, and restrained decidualization with a downregulation of decidualization-related genes. Furthermore, inhibition of Neuropilin 1 exerted effects through estrogen regulation. However, co-culture with BMSCs restored ESC activity by promoting Neuropilin expression and enhanced intrauterine ESC decidualization. In conclusion, Neuropilin 1 inhibitor restrains decidualization through estrogen regulation which can be abrogated by estrogen receptor antagonists. BMSCs restore the damaged ESC decidualization through increasing Neuropilin 1 expression, which provides new insights into the adverse effect of Neuropilin 1 on human ESCs, suggesting that BMSC is a potential therapeutic drug candidate for adenomyosis.

Maternal exposure to bisphenol A induces fetal growth restriction via upregulating the expression of estrogen receptors

Bisphenol A (BPA) accumulation in the placenta leads to fetal growth restriction (FGR). Here we aimed to explore the effect and the underlying mechanism of BPA exposure on fetal development. ELISA was performed to measure estrogen levels in human placenta and BeWo cells. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were conducted to determine the expression of estrogen receptors (ERs), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), the key enzymes for ER synthesis, and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). Bisulfite-sequencing PCR analysis was performed to measure CpG methylation in ER genes. Flow cytometry was used to examine cell apoptosis. We found that human FGR placentae had significantly increased BPA and estrogen levels and decreased BCRP levels compared with healthy placentae. BPA downregulated BCRP expression via ERs, and BCRP silencing promoted ER expression in BeWo cells. Compared with vehicle treatment, BPA treatment significantly enhanced the expression of key enzymes for estrogen synthesis and ERs in BeWo cells. BPA treatment inhibited CpG methylation in ER genes, along with downregulated DNMT1 expression and upregulated DNMT3a and DNMT3b expression. BPA treatment significantly promoted BeWo cell apoptosis compared with vehicle treatment. Importantly, ER inhibitor ICI-182780 significantly reversed all the BPA-induced effects on BeWo cells. In conclusion, BPA promotes estrogen production and cell apoptosis in BeWo cells via upregulating ER expression, leading to FGR.

Mixed-lineage leukaemia 1 contributes to endometrial stromal cells progesterone responsiveness during decidualization

Studies have reported that non‐receptive endometrium or abnormal decidualization was closely related to recurrent implantation failure (RIF). MLL1 is a histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) transferase that regulates the transcriptional activation of target genes. The role of MLL1 has been underexplored during decidualization. In our research, we found the expression of MLL1 was closely related to endometrial receptivity, and it was responsible to hormone stimulation. Inhibiting the function of MLL1 by MM102 reduced the transformation of HESCs. Furthermore, down‐regulation of MLL1 by siRNA transfection significantly decreased PGR and its target genes expression. MLL1 act as a co‐activator of ERα, and both of them were recruited to PGR regulatory regions, thus promote PGR transcription. Our study showed that MLL1 plays a key role in promoting progesterone signalling transmission.