OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of BIX01294 (BIX), a methyltransferase inhibitor, on the migration and decidualization of the stromal cells in mouse uterus.

METHODSMouse endometrial stromal cells were isolated and cultured from the uterus of pregnant mice on day 3.5 of gestation. The migration and decidualization of mouse endometrial stromal cells treated with BIX at different concentrations were observed with wound healing assay and real-time PCR.

RESULTSThe migration distance of mouse endometrial stromal cells increased as the BIX concentration increased within the range below 15 µmol/L. Compared with the control cells, the cells treated with BIX (15 µmol/L) showed significantly increased migration distances, but increasing BIX concentration to 20 µmol/L did not further increase the cell migration distance and began to cause cell death. Compared with the control cells, the BIX-treated stromal cells exhibited significantly down-regulated expression of Ehmt2 mRNA, and 15 µmol/L BIX caused inhibition of decidualization in the stromal cells.

CONCLUSIONWithin a defined concentration range, BIX promotes the migration and inhibits decidualization of mouse uterine stromal cells by inhibiting the expression of Ehmt2 mRNA.