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Menstrual-like breakdown and apoptosis in human endometrial explants
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Human Reproduction (Oxford, England)
|March 1, 2005
Summary
Apoptosis occurs in human endometrial tissue but does not cause menstrual-like breakdown. Instead, this programmed cell death may facilitate endometrial remodeling after menstruation.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Cellular and molecular biology
Background:
- Apoptosis is observed in the late secretory and menstrual human endometrium.
- In vitro studies show menstrual-like breakdown in endometrial explants.
- The role of apoptosis in this breakdown is under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of apoptosis in menstrual-like breakdown of human endometrial explants.
Main Methods:
- Human endometrial tissue from the mid-secretory phase was cultured with or without estrogen and progesterone.
- Breakdown was assessed via histology.
- Apoptosis was measured using DNA fragmentation assays, immunohistochemistry for cleaved caspase-3 (CASP3) and M30 antigen, and real-time PCR for BCL2 and BAX expression.
Main Results:
- Apoptosis was detected in all cultured endometrial explants.
- Increased expression of cleaved CASP3 and M30 antigen indicated caspase activity.
- Low BCL2:BAX ratios were observed in all samples.
- Hormone supplementation reduced menstrual-like breakdown but did not alter apoptosis levels.
Conclusions:
- Apoptosis in the late secretory and menstrual endometrium is not mechanistically linked to tissue breakdown.
- Apoptosis likely plays a role in endometrial remodeling during the transition to the proliferative phase post-menses.