Ectopic pregnancy as a model to identify endometrial genes and signaling pathways important in decidualization and regulated by local trophoblast.

The endometrium in early pregnancy undergoes decidualization and functional changes induced by local trophoblast, which are not fully understood. We hypothesized that endometrium from tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP) could be interrogated to identify novel genes and pathways involved in these processes....

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Main Authors: W Colin Duncan, Julie L V Shaw, Stewart Burgess, Sarah E McDonald, Hilary O D Critchley, Andrew W Horne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2011-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0023595&type=printable
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author W Colin Duncan
Julie L V Shaw
Stewart Burgess
Sarah E McDonald
Hilary O D Critchley
Andrew W Horne
author_facet W Colin Duncan
Julie L V Shaw
Stewart Burgess
Sarah E McDonald
Hilary O D Critchley
Andrew W Horne
author_sort W Colin Duncan
collection DOAJ
description The endometrium in early pregnancy undergoes decidualization and functional changes induced by local trophoblast, which are not fully understood. We hypothesized that endometrium from tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP) could be interrogated to identify novel genes and pathways involved in these processes. Gestation-matched endometrium was collected from women with EP (n = 11) and intrauterine pregnancies (IUP) (n = 13). RNA was extracted from the tissue. In addition, tissues were prepared for histological analysis for degree of decidualization. We compared a) the samples from EP that were decidualized (n = 6) with non-decidualized samples (n = 5), and b) the decidualized EP (n = 6) with decidualization-matched IUP (n = 6) samples using an Affymetrix gene array platform, with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, combined with quantitative RT-PCR. Expression of PRL and IGFBP1 was used to confirm the degree of decidualization in each group. There were no differences in PRL or IGFBP1 expression in the decidualization-matched samples but a marked reduction (P<0.001) in the non-decidualized samples. Decidualization was associated with increased expression of 428 genes including SCARA5 (181-fold), DKK1 (71-fold) and PROK1 (32-fold), and decreased expression of 230 genes including MMP-7 (35-fold) and SFRP4 (21-fold). The top canonical pathways associated with these differentially expressed genes were Natural Killer Cell and Wnt/b-Catenin signaling. Local trophoblast was associated with much less alteration of endometrial gene expression with an increase in 56 genes, including CSH1 (8-fold), and a reduction in 29 genes including CRISP3 (8-fold). The top associated canonical pathway was Antigen Presentation. The study of endometrium from tubal EP may promote novel insights into genes involved in decidualization and those influenced by factors from neighboring trophoblast. This has afforded unique information not highlighted by previous studies and adds to our understanding of the endometrium in early pregnancy.
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spelling doaj-art-2d278c6ae1c249c992b1f3aecbac1e4e2025-08-20T03:25:08ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032011-01-0168e2359510.1371/journal.pone.0023595Ectopic pregnancy as a model to identify endometrial genes and signaling pathways important in decidualization and regulated by local trophoblast.W Colin DuncanJulie L V ShawStewart BurgessSarah E McDonaldHilary O D CritchleyAndrew W HorneThe endometrium in early pregnancy undergoes decidualization and functional changes induced by local trophoblast, which are not fully understood. We hypothesized that endometrium from tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP) could be interrogated to identify novel genes and pathways involved in these processes. Gestation-matched endometrium was collected from women with EP (n = 11) and intrauterine pregnancies (IUP) (n = 13). RNA was extracted from the tissue. In addition, tissues were prepared for histological analysis for degree of decidualization. We compared a) the samples from EP that were decidualized (n = 6) with non-decidualized samples (n = 5), and b) the decidualized EP (n = 6) with decidualization-matched IUP (n = 6) samples using an Affymetrix gene array platform, with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, combined with quantitative RT-PCR. Expression of PRL and IGFBP1 was used to confirm the degree of decidualization in each group. There were no differences in PRL or IGFBP1 expression in the decidualization-matched samples but a marked reduction (P<0.001) in the non-decidualized samples. Decidualization was associated with increased expression of 428 genes including SCARA5 (181-fold), DKK1 (71-fold) and PROK1 (32-fold), and decreased expression of 230 genes including MMP-7 (35-fold) and SFRP4 (21-fold). The top canonical pathways associated with these differentially expressed genes were Natural Killer Cell and Wnt/b-Catenin signaling. Local trophoblast was associated with much less alteration of endometrial gene expression with an increase in 56 genes, including CSH1 (8-fold), and a reduction in 29 genes including CRISP3 (8-fold). The top associated canonical pathway was Antigen Presentation. The study of endometrium from tubal EP may promote novel insights into genes involved in decidualization and those influenced by factors from neighboring trophoblast. This has afforded unique information not highlighted by previous studies and adds to our understanding of the endometrium in early pregnancy.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0023595&type=printable
spellingShingle W Colin Duncan
Julie L V Shaw
Stewart Burgess
Sarah E McDonald
Hilary O D Critchley
Andrew W Horne
Ectopic pregnancy as a model to identify endometrial genes and signaling pathways important in decidualization and regulated by local trophoblast.
PLoS ONE
title Ectopic pregnancy as a model to identify endometrial genes and signaling pathways important in decidualization and regulated by local trophoblast.
title_full Ectopic pregnancy as a model to identify endometrial genes and signaling pathways important in decidualization and regulated by local trophoblast.
title_fullStr Ectopic pregnancy as a model to identify endometrial genes and signaling pathways important in decidualization and regulated by local trophoblast.
title_full_unstemmed Ectopic pregnancy as a model to identify endometrial genes and signaling pathways important in decidualization and regulated by local trophoblast.
title_short Ectopic pregnancy as a model to identify endometrial genes and signaling pathways important in decidualization and regulated by local trophoblast.
title_sort ectopic pregnancy as a model to identify endometrial genes and signaling pathways important in decidualization and regulated by local trophoblast
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0023595&type=printable
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