Project description:To improve the understanding of PGRMC1 during decidualization, different in vitro decidualization protocols and global gene expression of endometrial stromal cells analysis were assessed.
Project description:Uterine glands and, by inference, their secretions impact uterine receptivity, blastocyst implantation, stromal cell decidualization, and placental development. Changes in gland function across the menstrual cycle are impacted by steroid hormones, estrogen and progesterone, as well as stroma-derived factors. Using an endometrial epithelial organoid (EEO) system, transcriptome and proteome analyses identified distinct responses of the EEO to steroid hormones and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Notably, steroid hormones and PGE2 modulated the basolateral secretion of EEO proteins, where cystatin C (CST3) was significantly increased by progesterone and PGE2. CST3 treatment of decidualizing stromal cells significantly decreased the decidualization markers PRL and IGFBP1. The attenuation of stromal cell decidualization via CST3 suggests a role for uterine gland-derived proteins in controlling the extent of decidualization. These findings provide evidence that uterine gland-derived factors directly impact stromal cell decidualization, which has strong implications for better understanding pregnancy establishment and female fertility in humans.
Project description:The zinc-finger transcription factor GATA2 has been shown to be important for endometrial stromal cell decidualization in early pregnancy in mice and humans. Progesterone and its receptor PGR is also critical during decidualization but its interaction with GATA2 in regulating genes and pathways necessary for decidualization in human endometrium are unclear. Human endometrial stromal cells were isolated from 5 premenopausal women for primary cell culture. The cells underwent in vitro decidualization (IVD) or vehicle (Veh) treatment for 10 days. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed to compare gene expression profiles (n=3) and chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) using an antibody against GATA2 (n=2) was performed to examine binding to target genes in the Veh and IVD cells. A public PGR ChIP-seq dataset (GSE69539) was mined to identify PGR-binding regions in IVD-treated human endometrial cells.
Project description:The zinc-finger transcription factor GATA2 has been shown to be important for endometrial stromal cell decidualization in early pregnancy in mice and humans. Progesterone and its receptor PGR is also critical during decidualization but its interaction with GATA2 in regulating genes and pathways necessary for decidualization in human endometrium are unclear. Human endometrial stromal cells were isolated from 5 premenopausal women for primary cell culture. The cells underwent in vitro decidualization (IVD) or vehicle (Veh) treatment for 10 days. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed to compare gene expression profiles (n=3) and chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) using an antibody against GATA2 (n=2) was performed to examine binding to target genes in the Veh and IVD cells. A public PGR ChIP-seq dataset (GSE69539) was mined to identify PGR-binding regions in IVD-treated human endometrial cells.
Project description:Uterine glands and, by inference, their secretions impact uterine receptivity, blastocyst implantation, stromal cell decidualization, and placental development. Changes in gland function across the menstrual cycle are impacted by steroid hormones, estrogen and progesterone, as well as stroma-derived factors. Using an endometrial epithelial organoid (EEO) system, transcriptome and proteome analyses identified distinct responses of the EEO to steroid hormones and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Notably, steroid hormones and PGE2 modulated the basolateral secretion of EEO proteins, where cystatin C (CST3) was significantly increased by progesterone and PGE2. CST3 treatment of decidualizing stromal cells significantly decreased the decidualization markers PRL and IGFBP1. The attenuation of stromal cell decidualization via CST3 suggests a role for uterine gland-derived proteins in controlling the extent of decidualization. These findings provide evidence that uterine gland-derived factors directly impact stromal cell decidualization, which has strong implications for better understanding pregnancy establishment and female fertility in humans.
Project description:Decidualization is a progesterone-initiated differentiation concerning the endometrium and is dedicated to supporting the placenta and embryo development. During the process, cAMP signaling is widely known to be indispensable, but the details are not fully understood. In this study, we show that cAMP signaling promotes AKT deactivation in endometrial stromal cells, which favors their decidualization. The deactivation of AKT is found to be a consequence of the reduced expression of several inhibitors of PP2A, the major phosphatase of AKT, with CIP2A being the most prominent. To show that CIP2A loss is obligatory for decidualization, we performed this ATAC-seq analysis. Persistent CIP2A expression impairs the chromatin accesibility remodeling during decidualization.
Project description:Uterine receptivity implies a dialogue between the hormonally primed maternal endometrium and the free-floating blastocyst. Endometrial stromal cells proliferate, avert apoptosis, and undergo decidualization in preparation for implantation; however, the molecular mechanisms that underlie differentiation into the decidual phenotype remain largely undefined. The Notch family of transmembrane receptors transduce extracellular signals responsible for cell survival, cell-to-cell communication, and trans-differentiation, all fundamental processes for decidualization and pregnancy. Using a murine artificial decidualization model, pharmacological inhibition of Notch signaling by gamma-secretase inhibition resulted in significantly decreased deciduoma. Furthermore, a progesterone receptor (PR)-Cre Notch1 bigenic (Notch1d/d) confirmed a Notch1-dependant hypomorphic decidual phenotype. Microarray and pathway analysis, following Notch1 ablation, demonstrated significantly altered signaling repertoire. Concomitantly, hierarchical clustering demonstrated Notch1-dependent differences in gene expression. Uteri deprived of Notch1 signaling demonstrated decreased cellular proliferation; namely, reduced proliferation-specific antigen, Ki67, altered p21, cdk6, and cyclinD activity, and increased apoptotic-profile, augmented cleaved caspase-3, Bad, and attenuated Bcl2. Demonstrated here, the pre-implantation uterus relies on Notch signaling to inhibit apoptosis of stromal fibroblasts and regulate cell cycle progression, which together promotes successful decidualization. In summary, Notch1 signaling modulates multiple signaling mechanisms crucial for decidualization and we provide greater perspective to the coordination of multiple signaling modalities required during decidualization RNA samples from 3-5 separate mice were extracted. All mRNA quantities were normalized against 18S gene expression. Gene expression levels were measured by real-time RT-PCR SYBR Green analysis using the ABI Prism 7700 Sequence Detector System according to manufacturer’s instructions (Applied Biosystems).
Project description:It is hypothesized that impaired endometrial decidualization contributes to decreased fertility in endometriosis patients. To identify the molecular defects that underpin defective decidualization in endometriosis, we subjected endometrial stromal cells from healthy individuals or with endometriosis to time course in vitro decidualization with estradiol, progesterone, and 8-bromo-cyclic-AMP (EPC) for 2, 4, 6, or 8 days. Transcriptomic profiling identified novel differences in key pathways between normal and endometriosis, including defective bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling (ID1, ID2, ID3, BMP6), altered iron transport (SLC40A1, TFRC), endometrial stem cell markers (CD44, SUSD2), and retinoid signaling pathways (RORB, ALDH1L1, RARA). Genome-wide binding analyses identified an altered genomic distribution of SMAD4 in decidualized stromal cells from endometriosis patients relative to normal individuals, with an overrepresentation of gene ontologies related to signaling by transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptors (NTRK), and nerve growth factor (NGF)-stimulated transcription. We found that direct SMAD1/5/4 target genes control FOXO, PI3K/AKT, and progesterone-mediated signaling in decidualizing cells and that BMP2 supplementation of patient-derived assembloids from endometriosis patients restored decidualization. In summary, transcriptomic and genomic profiling of patient-derived endometrial cells and assembloids identified that restoring BMP/SMAD1/5/4 signaling is crucial for engaging a robust decidualization program in women with endometriosis.
Project description:It is hypothesized that impaired endometrial decidualization contributes to decreased fertility in endometriosis patients. To identify the molecular defects that underpin defective decidualization in endometriosis, we subjected endometrial stromal cells from healthy individuals or with endometriosis to time course in vitro decidualization with estradiol, progesterone, and 8-bromo-cyclic-AMP (EPC) for 2, 4, 6, or 8 days. Transcriptomic profiling identified novel differences in key pathways between normal and endometriosis, including defective bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling (ID1, ID2, ID3, BMP6), altered iron transport (SLC40A1, TFRC), endometrial stem cell markers (CD44, SUSD2), and retinoid signaling pathways (RORB, ALDH1L1, RARA). Genome-wide binding analyses identified an altered genomic distribution of SMAD4 in decidualized stromal cells from endometriosis patients relative to normal individuals, with an overrepresentation of gene ontologies related to signaling by transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptors (NTRK), and nerve growth factor (NGF)-stimulated transcription. We found that direct SMAD1/5/4 target genes control FOXO, PI3K/AKT, and progesterone-mediated signaling in decidualizing cells and that BMP2 supplementation of patient-derived assembloids from endometriosis patients restored decidualization. In summary, transcriptomic and genomic profiling of patient-derived endometrial cells and assembloids identified that restoring BMP/SMAD1/5/4 signaling is crucial for engaging a robust decidualization program in women with endometriosis.