miR-149-PARP-2 Signaling Regulates E-cadherin and N-cadherin Expression in the Murine Model of Endometrium Receptivity

Cadherins play an essential role in the attachment of the blastocyst to the endometrium, a process known as endometrial receptivity. Loss of E-cadherin expression is essential during the process, while the expression level of the other cadherin, N-cadherin, has been reported to be altered in cases of infertility. Both E-cadherin and N-cadherin can be regulated by members of the PARP family. Specifically, PARP-2, which is under the epigenetic control of miR-149, has been observed to promote E-cadherin expression in other human cells. We investigated the roles of E-cadherin and N-cadherin in endometrial receptivity using mouse models for normal endometrial receptivity, pseudopregnancy, and LPS-induced endometrial receptivity failure. E-cadherin and phosphorylated E-cadherin were predominantly expressed during pre-receptive stages as well as in the implantation site of the receptive stage, which were observed reduced during the later stages of implantation in both implantation and non-implantation regions, while N-cadherin was detected only at pre-receptive stages. E-cadherin and N-cadherin were also seen in the uterus during pseudopregnancy, showing a downregulation trend during receptive and post-receptive stages. LPS-induced failed endometrial receptivity showed upregulation of E-cadherin and downregulation of N-cadherin. The E-cadherin expression promoter, GSK-3, was lost and its suppressor, SLUG was upregulated during normal course of endometrial receptivity in mouse model, while GSK-3 was increased during LPS-induced failed embryo implantation. In an in vitro model of embryo implantation, E-cadherin expression is promoted by PARP-2 and regulated by miR-149 epigenetically in human endometrium epithelial cells. In conclusion, E-cadherin is predominantly expressed during pre-receptive stage and promoted by PARP-2, which is regulated by miR-149 in the endometrial epithelial cells.

Hydroxyurea-induced replication stress causes poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-2 accumulation and changes its intranuclear location in root meristems of Vicia faba

Replication stress induced by 24 and 48h exposure to 2.5mM hydroxyurea (HU) increased the activity of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-2 (PARP-2; EC 2.4.2.30) in root meristem cells of Vicia faba. An increase in the number of PARP-2 foci was accompanied by their delocalization from peripheral areas to the interior of the nucleus. Our results indicate that the increase in PARP-2 was connected with an increase in S139-phosphorylated H2AX histones. The findings suggest the possible role of PARP-2 in replication stress. We also confirm that the intranuclear location of PARP-2 depends on the duration of HU-induced replication stress, confirming the role of PARP-2 as an indicator of stress intensity. Finally, we conclude that the more intense the HU-mediated replication stress, the greater the probability of PARP-2 activation or H2AXS139 phosphorylation, but also the greater the chance of increasing the efficiency of repair processes and a return to normal cell cycle progression.