Epithelial cell protein milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor 8 and human chorionic gonadotropin regulate stromal cell apoptosis in the human endometrium

作者：Riggs Ryan M; Bocca Silvina^*; Anderson Sandra; Franchi Anahi; Rhavi Bhaskara S; Oehninger Sergio

来源：Fertility and Sterility, 2012, 98(6): 1549-+.

DOI：10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.07.1127

• Apoptosis
• caspase activity
• endometrium
• hCG
• human
• MFG-E8

Objective: To study the regulation of apoptosis in human endometrial cells. The specific aims were to determine whether milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8), a novel endometrial epithelial protein, modulates caspase activation and DNA fragmentation; and to examine whether hCG, an early embryonic product, regulates Bax and Bcl-2 equilibrium, as well as MFG-E8 expression. %26lt;br%26gt;Design: Primary cultures of human endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) and endometrial stromal cells (ESCs). %26lt;br%26gt;Setting: Academic center. %26lt;br%26gt;Patient(s): Ovulatory women aged 21-30 years. %26lt;br%26gt;Intervention(s): Treatment with MFG-E8 and hCG. %26lt;br%26gt;Main Outcome Measure(s): Apoptotic activity was quantified using a luciferase assay. Deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation was detected by TUNEL assay. Bax, Bcl-2, and MFG-E8 messenger RNA expression levels were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Immunocytochemistry was used to establish cell purity and presence of MFG-E8 and hCG-R (receptor) proteins. %26lt;br%26gt;Result(s): Endometrial epithelial cells were cytokeratin(+), vimentin(-), MFG-E8(+), and hCG-R+, whereas ESC were vimentin(+), cytokeratin(-), MFG-E8(-), and hCG-R+. Treatment of ESC with MFG-E8 resulted in a 13-fold increase in caspase activity and a 30-fold increase in TUNEL. On the other hand, hCG decreased messenger RNA expression of Bax in ESC. %26lt;br%26gt;Conclusion(s): Milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor 8 has proapoptotic activity, suggesting participation in endometrial remodeling via an epithelial-stromal cell paracrine effect. Conversely, pregnancy levels of hCG has opposite effects on stromal cells. (Fertil Steril (R) 2012; 98: 1549-56.

• 出版日期2012-12