Summary
Embryo implantation is a complicated physiological process tightly regulated by multiple biological molecules including growth factors. Transforming growth factor-betas (TGF-βs) and their most specific signal transduction factors, Smads, are expressed in the endometrium during the window of implantation. Recent researches indicated that Smad dependent TGF-β signaling may play an important role in the process of embryo implantation. In this study, we measured the expression of TGF-β1, TGF-β receptor type I (TβRI), Smad3 and p-Smad3 in the endometrium of mice and observed their elevation on day 4, 5 and 6 of pseudopregnancy. Then we administrated a specific Smad3 inhibitor (Sis3) into the uterine cavity of mice on day 3 of pregnancy. The results showed a reduction in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGFBP-1) expression and the decreased number of implanted embryo after the administration. In addition, Sis3 was found to reduce the IGFBP-1 secretion in decidualized endometrial stromal cells. Taken all together, our findings demonstrated that TGF-β/Smad3 signaling is involved in the process of embryo implantation.
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Acknowledgement
We would like to thank Prof. Hans Rudolf Tinneberg and Dr. Lutz Konrad of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany for providing us with the THESC cells.
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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81701450).
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Li, J., Dong, Xy., Yang, Pw. et al. Activation of Uterine Smad3 Pathway Is Crucial for Embryo Implantation. CURR MED SCI 39, 997–1002 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-019-2134-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-019-2134-z