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Chen Z, Dean M. Endometrial Glucose Metabolism During Early Pregnancy. REPRODUCTION AND FERTILITY 2023; 4:RAF-23-0016. [PMID: 37934727 PMCID: PMC10762551 DOI: 10.1530/raf-23-0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately 50% of human pregnancies humans fail, most before or during implantation. One factor contributing to pregnancy loss is abnormal glucose metabolism in the endometrium. Glucose contributes to preimplantation embryo development, uterine receptivity, and attachment of the embryo. Across multiple species, the epithelium stores glucose as the macromolecule glycogen at estrus. This reserve is mobilized during the preimplantation period. Glucose from circulation or glycogenolysis can be secreted into the uterine lumen for use by the embryo or metabolized via glycolysis, producing ATP for the cell. The resulting pyruvate could be converted to lactate, another important nutrient for the embryo. Fructose is an important nutrient for early embryos, and the epithelium and placenta can convert glucose to fructose via the polyol pathway. The epithelium also uses glucose to glycosylate proteins, which regulates embryo attachment. In some species, decidualization of the stroma is critical to successful implantation. Formation of the decidua requires increased glucose metabolism via the pentose phosphate pathway and glycolysis. After decidualization, the cells switch to aerobic glycolysis to produce ATP. Paradoxically, the decidua also stores large amounts of glucose as glycogen. Too little glucose or an inability to take up glucose impairs embryo development and decidualization. Conversely, too much glucose inhibits these same processes. This likely contributes to the reduced pregnancy rates associated with conditions like obesity and diabetes. Collectively, precise control of glucose metabolism is important for several endometrial processes required to establish a successful pregnancy. The factors regulating these metabolic processes remain poorly understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziting Chen
- Department of Animal Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Matthew Dean
- Department of Animal Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Zhang N, Shen H, Chen B, Hu H, Liu C, Chen Y, Cong W. The recent progress of peptide regulators for the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1164656. [PMID: 37396899 PMCID: PMC10311566 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1164656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnt signaling plays an important role in many biological processes such as stem cell self-renewal, cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. The β-catenin-dependent signaling pathway mainly regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. In the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, the Wnt family ligands transduce signals through LRP5/6 and Frizzled receptors to the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascades. Wnt-targeted therapy has garnered extensive attention. The most commonly used approach in targeted therapy is small-molecule regulators. However, it is difficult for small-molecule regulators to make great progress due to their inherent defects. Therapeutic peptide regulators targeting the Wnt signaling pathway have become an alternative therapy, promising to fill the gaps in the clinical application of small-molecule regulators. In this review, we describe recent advances in peptide regulators for Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- School of Medicine or Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huaxing Shen
- School of Medicine or Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Baobao Chen
- School of Medicine or Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Honggang Hu
- School of Medicine or Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Liu
- School of Medicine or Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Medical Supplies Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Cong
- School of Medicine or Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
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Kang X, Zhu H. Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMSCs) Enhance Endometrial Stromal Cell Migration and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Adenomyosis Through Upregulation of Neuropilin 1. J BIOMATER TISS ENG 2022. [DOI: 10.1166/jbt.2022.2845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofang Kang
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Zhongshan-Xuhui Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Hongcheng Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hubei Sheng Enshizhou Central Hospital, Enshi City, Hubei Province, 445009, China
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Abdul Khaliq S, Umair Z, Baek MO, Chon SJ, Yoon MS. C-Peptide Promotes Cell Migration by Controlling Matrix Metallopeptidase-9 Activity Through Direct Regulation of β-Catenin in Human Endometrial Stromal Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:800181. [PMID: 35127683 PMCID: PMC8814361 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.800181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The motility of endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) contributes to the restoration of the endometrial functional layer and subsequently supports the trophoblast invasion during early pregnancy. Following ESCs differentiation through decidualization in response to progesterone during the menstrual cycle and embryo implantation, decidualized ESCs (D-ESCs) have greater motility and invasive activity. The human proinsulin-connecting peptide (C-peptide) is produced in equimolar amounts during the proteolysis of insulin in pancreatic β-cells. However, the function of C-peptide in the cellular motility of the human endometrium remains unexamined. In the present study, C-peptide was identified as a determinant of undecidualized human endometrial stromal cells (UnD-ESCs) migration. C-peptide promoted the migration and invasion of UnD-ESCs and trophoblast-derived Jeg3 cells, but not that of ESCs post decidualization, a functional and biochemical differentiation of UnD-ESCs. Both Akt and protein phosphatase 1 regulated β-catenin phosphorylation in UnD-ESCs, not D-ESCs, thereby promoting β-catenin nuclear translocation in C-peptide-treated UnD-ESCs. C-peptide was also observed to increase matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP9) activity by increasing MMP9 expression and decreasing the expression of metallopeptidase inhibitor 1 (TIMP1) and TIMP3. Their expression was modulated by the direct binding of β-catenin in the regulatory region of the promoter of MMP9, TIMP1, and TIMP3. Inhibition of either β-catenin or MMP9 dampened C-peptide-enhanced migration in UnD-ESCs. Together, these findings suggest that C-peptide levels are critical for the regulation of UnD-ESC migration, providing evidence for the association between C-peptide levels and the failure rate of trophoblast invasion by inducing abnormal migration in UnD-ESCs in hyperinsulinemia or PCOS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Abdul Khaliq
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, GAIHST, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Zobia Umair
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Mi-Ock Baek
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, GAIHST, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Seung Joo Chon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Mee-Sup Yoon
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, GAIHST, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Mee-Sup Yoon,
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Kusama K, Yamauchi N, Yoshida K, Azumi M, Yoshie M, Tamura K. Senolytic treatment modulates decidualization in human endometrial stromal cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 571:174-180. [PMID: 34330061 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.07.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Decidualization - the differentiation of endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) into decidual cells - is a crucial step for successful embryo implantation and placentation that is initiated in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. During decidualization, ESCs undergo proliferation arrest and secrete inflammatory mediators, including senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Although several senolytic agents improve age-related diseases, their effects on cellular senescence in decidualizing ESCs has not been explored. To do this, we treated decidualized ESCs with the senolytic agents Quercetin (Que), Dasatinib (Das), and BPTES. Que decreased the number of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) positive cells and expression of senescence markers in ESCs treated with the decidual stimulus (dibutyryl-cAMP plus progesterone: DP). Concomitantly, Que markedly increased the expression of the decidualization markers IGFBP1, PRL, and FOXO1, in decidualizing ESCs. Similar to Que, Das also stimulated decidualization. Treatment with a combination of Que and Das synergistically increased the expression of decidualization markers and senescence markers compared with treatment with Que or Das alone. However, BPTES did not enhance the expression of decidualization markers. These results imply that treatment with Que and/or Das can remove senescent decidual cells and enhance the decidualization of the rest of ESCs. Thus, senolytic modulation of abnormal ESC decidualization could alleviate infertility caused by dysfunctions of endometrial receptivity and embryo implantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuya Kusama
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Naoya Yamauchi
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Kanoko Yoshida
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Mana Azumi
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Mikihiro Yoshie
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Kazuhiro Tamura
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.
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