This study examined the impact of 935MHz phone-simulating electromagnetic radiation on embryo implantation of pregnant mice. Each 7-week-old Kunming (KM) female white mouse was set up with a KM male mouse in a single cage for mating overnight after induction of ovulation. In the first three days of pregnancy, the pregnant mice was exposed to electromagnetic radiation at low-intensity (150 μW/cm(2), ranging from 130 to 200 μW/cm(2), for 2- or 4-h exposure every day), mid-intensity (570 μW/cm(2), ranging from 400 to 700 μW/cm(2), for 2- or 4-h exposure every day) or high-intensity (1400 μW/cm(2), ranging from 1200 to 1500 μW/cm(2), for 2- or 4-h exposure every day), respectively. On the day 4 after gestation (known as the window of murine embryo implantation), the endometrium was collected and the suspension of endometrial glandular cells was made. Laser scanning microscopy was employed to detect the mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular calcium ion concentration. In high-intensity, 2- and 4-h groups, mitochondrial membrane potential of endometrial glandular cells was significantly lower than that in the normal control group (P<0.05). The calcium ion concentration was increased in low-intensity 2-h group but decreased in high-intensity 4-h group as compared with the normal control group (P<0.05). However, no significant difference was found in mitochondrial membrane potential of endometrial glandular cells between low- or mid-intensity groups and the normal control group, indicating stronger intensity of the electromagnetic radiation and longer length of the radiation are required to inflict a remarkable functional and structural damage to mitochondrial membrane. Our data demonstrated that electromagnetic radiation with a 935-MHz phone for 4 h conspicuously decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and lowered the calcium ion concentration of endometrial glandular cells. It is suggested that high-intensity electromagnetic radiation is very likely to induce the death of embryonic cells and decrease the chance of their implantation, thereby posing a high risk to pregnancy.
Animals ; Electromagnetic Radiation ; Embryo Implantation ; physiology ; Endometrium ; physiology ; Epithelial Cells ; physiology ; Female ; Male ; Mice

OBJECTIVETo explore the potential mechanism of breakthrough bleeding associated with progestin with in vitro methods.

METHODSThe isolation and culture of human endometrial endothelial cells (HEECs) was performed with the method established in our laboratory. The content and activity of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and the content of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in cell supernatants after incubated with different concentrations of progesterone (0-5 micromol/L) and 17beta-estradiol (0, 0.1, or 1 nmol/L) were measured by method of ELISA. Apoptosis rate of HEECs was measured by flow cytometry. Viable cell count was measured by MTT.

RESULTSThe increased level of progesterone (0.5-5 micromol/L) combined with 17beta-estradiol elevated content and activity of uPA while the production of PAI-1 remained unchanged. The apoptosis of HEECs was inhibited along with the increment of total viable cell counts at higher concentrations of progesterone with 17beta-estradiol.

CONCLUSIONThe inhibition of apoptosis and increased content and activity of uPA may contribute to the occurrence of irregular bleeding associated with progestin use to some extent

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Endometrium ; cytology ; physiology ; Endothelium ; cytology ; physiology ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Metrorrhagia ; etiology ; Progestins ; physiology

Eighty eight cases of the endometrial biopsy comprising 19 cases of proliferative phase, 21 cases of secretory phase, and 23 cases of menstrual phase from non-sterility patients, and 25 cases of the endometrium at the first day of menstruation from primary sterility patients were examined histochemically. Secretory substance in the epithelial cells of the endometrial glands during the secretory phase and menstrual phase was main1y glycogen. Therefore, it is essential to fix the endometrial tissue in a fixative which can preserve glycogen for the detection of secretory activity more accurately. Among 25 cases of primary sterility, 15 cases showed epithelial secretory vacuoles on hematoxylin and eosin stained sections, and no epithelial vacuolization was noted in the remaining 10 cases. However, PAS staining showed presence of PAS positive diastase sensitive substance in the majority of the later 10 cases except one in which no PAS positive substance was found, indicating that PAS staining is superior than routine hematoxylin and eosin staining for the detection of epithelial secretory substance. The absolute lack of secretory activity in the endometrial glands was infrequent, but a relative decrease of progesterone effect was rather common among the patients complaining primary sterility, and the decreased progesterone effect may not necessarily be due to the absence of ovulation.
Adult ; Endometrium/*cytology/*physiology ; Female ; Histocytochemistry ; Human ; Infertility, Female/pathology ; Ovulation/*physiology ; Progesterone/analysis ; Secretory Rate

In order To evaluate whether the parameters of spiral artery blood flow, as measured by transvaginal color Doppler, may be used to assess endometrium receptivity prior to embryo transfer (ET), a retrospective study of 94 infertile women who had undergone ART treatments with different outcomes (pregnant or nonpregnant) was done. Subendometrial blood flow was evaluated. The resistance index (RI), systolic/diastolic ratio (S/D) and pulsatility index (PI) were significantly lower in those who achieved pregnancy as compared with those who did not: 0.62+/-0.04 vs 0.68+/-0.04 (P<0.001), 2.66+/-0.33 vs 3.19+/-0.39 (P<0.01) and 1.15+/-0.17 vs 1.34+/-0.22 (P<0. 05), respectively. Furthermore, when RI>0. 2, PI>1. , and S/D>3. , no pregnancy occurred. These data suggest that the parameters of spiral artery blood flow could be used as a new assay in predicting endometrial receptivity before ET.
Arteries/ultrasonography ; Embryo Implantation/*physiology ; Embryo Transfer ; Endometrium/*blood supply ; Endometrium/*physiology ; Endometrium/ultrasonography ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Infertility, Female/physiopathology ; Regional Blood Flow ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

BACKGROUNDEndometriosis (EM) is a benign gynecologic disease predominantly found in women of reproductive age. However, its pathogenesis is still poorly understood. Our experiment was designed to establish a stable and reliable cultural environment for coculture of endometrium and peritoneum, so as to observe the adhesion/invasion ability of endometrium from patients with or without EM.

METHODSEndometria of secretory phase and peritoneum were sampled from 6 women with endometriois during laparoscopy. Six with ovarian teratoma or simple ovarian cyst were taken as control. We cocultured endometrium and peritoneum into four groups (endometrium from EM cultured with peritoneum from EM, endometrium from control cultured with peritoneum from control, endometrium from EM cultured with peritoneum from non-EM and the endometrium from control cultured with peritoneum from EM) to observe the adhesion/invasion process in gas-liquid surface culture and in-medium culture. Specimens were collected at 1 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 6 days and 7 days for histology, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical analysis on cytokeratin 8 (CK8) and CD10.

RESULTSThe gas-liquid surface culture was superior to in-medium culture for the maintenance of tissue morphology and survival of endometrium. CK8 immunoflurescence demonstrated no remarkable difference in adhesion process between patients with and without EM. CD10 immunochemistry manifested frequent invasion of endometrial stromal cells from EM patients into peritoneum of up to 3 days culture, while the endometriotic cells from non-EM patients did not invade into peritoneum.

CONCLUSIONSGas-liquid surface culture is a suitable model for observing the early events in EM lesion formation. Endometrium from patients with EM showed increased invasion capacity during coculture, which might help to explain the etiology of endometriosis.

Cell Adhesion ; physiology ; Endometriosis ; pathology ; Endometrium ; cytology ; Female ; Humans ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; methods

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Embryo Implantation ; drug effects ; Endometrium ; drug effects ; physiology ; Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To observe the repairing effects of estrogen and wheat-grain moxibustion on thin-type endometrium in rats and to explore its possible mechanism. METHODS: Forty healthy SPF-grade adult female SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, an estrogen group and a moxibustion group according to random number table method, 10 rats in each group. The model of thin-type endometrium was established during estrous period in all the groups except for the normal group. No intervention was given in the normal group. The intragastric administration of 2 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride solution was applied the next day after modeling in the model group. The intragastric administration of 2 mL of estradiol was given the next day after modeling in the estrogen group. The wheat-grain moxibustion was given at "Guanyuan" (CV 4) and "Shenshu" (BL 23) the next day after modeling in the moxibustion group, 7 moxa cones for each acupoint. The treatment in 3 groups was given once a day. After three estrous cycles, the samples were collected during estrous period; the thickness and morphology of endometrium were observed by HE staining; the expressions of vimentin, keratin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in endometrium tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry; the expressions of HOXA10 and LIF in endometrium tissue were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The endometrial thickness in the model group was significantly thinner than that in the normal group (<0.01); compared with the model group, the endometrial thickness in the estrogen group and the moxibustion group were increased significantly (<0.05, <0.01); the endometrial thickness in the moxibustion group was insignificantly higher than that in the estrogen group (>0.05). The expressions of keratin, vimentin and VEGF in endometrium in the model group were significantly lower than those in the normal group (<0.01); compared with the model group, the expressions of keratin, vimentin and VEGF in endometrium in the estrogen group and the moxibustion group were significantly increased (<0.01). The expressions of keratin, vimentin and VEGF in the moxibustion group were insignificantly higher than those in the estrogen group (>0.05). The expressions of HOXA10 and LIF in endometrium in the model group were significantly lower than those in the normal group (<0.01); compared with the model group, the expressions of HOXA10 and LIF in endometrium in the estrogen group and moxibustion group were significantly increased (<0.05). CONCLUSION The wheat-grain moxibustion could up-regulate the expressions of keratin, vimentin and VEGF in endometrium to improve the endometrial thickness; in addition, it could increase the levels of factors related to endometrial receptivity including HOXA10, LIF, which improves endometrial receptivity and play a repair role.
Animals ; Endometrium ; physiology ; Female ; Moxibustion ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Triticum ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells capable of self-renewal and differentiation into various cell lineages. Stem cells are responsible for the development of organs and regeneration of damaged tissues. The highly regenerative nature of the human endometrium during reproductive age suggests that stem cells play a critical role in endometrial physiology. Bone marrow-derived cells migrate to the uterus and participate in the healing and restoration of functionally or structurally damaged endometrium. This review summarizes recent research into the potential therapeutic effects of bone marrow-derived stem cells in conditions involving endometrial impairment.
Bone Marrow ; Cell Lineage ; Endometrium* ; Female ; Humans ; Physiology ; Regeneration* ; Stem Cells* ; Therapeutic Uses ; Uterus

Endometrial receptivity has become the main cause of fertilization and pregnancy outcomes in infertile patients,bringing large psychological damage and economic loss to the patients and their family. In recent years,the role of non-coding RNA has increasingly been recognized. The relationship between non-coding RNA and endometrial receptivity is reviewed in this article.
Embryo Implantation ; Endometrium ; physiology ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; RNA, Untranslated ; genetics

The expression of tumor suppressor gene p16INK4a in mouse endometrium during early pregnancy and its possible role in blastocyst implantation were investigated in the present study. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were applied to detect p16INK4a mRNA and protein expressions in endometrium of un-pregnant and pregnant mice on day 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, respectively. In addition, p16INK4a antibody was injected into the horns of uteri in pregnant mice on day 3 and its effect during blastocyst implantation was detected in vivo. The higher expressions of p16INK4a mRNA and protein were observed in pregnant mice compared with that in un-pregnant mice, with a steady increase from day 2 to day 5 and reaching the maximal level on day 5 of pregnancy and then decreasing. p16INK4a antibody decreased the number of implanted blastocysts compared with that of saline-injected group. The results suggest that p16INK4a may be associated with apoptosis of luminal epithelial cells and decidual cells, coordinating decidualization of endometrium and invasion of trophoblastic cells. Thus, we presume that p16INK4a participates in the process of blastocyst implantation in mice.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; physiology ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 ; physiology ; Embryo Implantation ; Endometrium ; physiology ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Pregnancy ; RNA, Messenger ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction