MIMR-PHI Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
MIMR-PHI Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Placenta. 2014 Mar;35(3):195-201. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2014.01.004. Epub 2014 Jan 24.
Galectins are expressed at the fetal-maternal interface and have multiple roles including during blastocyst implantation. The expression of galectin-7 however has not been investigated in the uterus. We aimed to localise galectin-7 to the endometrium of women with normal fertility and with a history of miscarriage and prospectively determine whether serum levels are altered in women who subsequently miscarry. We also investigated the role of galectin-7 on trophoblast-endometrial epithelial cell adhesion.
Immunohistochemistry localised galectin-7 to endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle in women (normal fertility or with history of miscarriage) and in first trimester implantation sites. Galectin-7 serum levels were determined by ELISA. We used both endometrial epithelial-trophoblast cell lines and primary cells for cell-cell adhesion experiments.
Galectin-7 immunolocalized to endometrial luminal and glandular epithelium in normally fertile women and was upregulated in epithelium and stroma of women with a history of miscarriage. Similarly, galectin-7 serum levels were elevated at 6 weeks gestation in women who subsequently miscarried compared to gestation matched controls. Exogenous galectin-7 reduced endometrial epithelial-trophoblast adhesion in cell-line and primary cell assays. However, when endometrial epithelial cells were isolated from women with endometrial disorders, galectin-7 increased epithelial-trophoblast adhesion.
Galectin-7 is produced by endometrial epithelium and is abnormally elevated in the endometrium of women with a history of miscarriage. Serum levels may be useful as a predictive biomarker of miscarriage. Our data suggests that galectin-7 facilitates adhesion of the embryo to the endometrium and elevated galectin-7 may result in abnormal adhesion.
半乳糖凝集素在胎儿-母体界面表达，具有多种功能，包括在胚泡着床过程中。然而，半乳糖凝集素-7在子宫中的表达尚未被研究过。我们的目的是定位半乳糖凝集素-7在具有正常生育史和流产史的女性子宫内膜中的位置，并前瞻性地确定随后流产的女性血清水平是否发生改变。我们还研究了半乳糖凝集素-7对滋养层-子宫内膜上皮细胞黏附的作用。
免疫组织化学定位了半乳糖凝集素-7在具有正常生育史或流产史的女性子宫内膜中的表达，贯穿整个月经周期，并定位在第一孕期着床部位。通过 ELISA 测定半乳糖凝集素-7的血清水平。我们使用子宫内膜上皮-滋养层细胞系和原代细胞进行细胞-细胞黏附实验。
半乳糖凝集素-7在正常生育的女性子宫内膜腔上皮和腺上皮中免疫定位，在有流产史的女性子宫内膜上皮和基质中上调。同样，与妊娠匹配的对照组相比，随后流产的女性在妊娠 6 周时血清半乳糖凝集素-7水平升高。外源性半乳糖凝集素-7降低了细胞系和原代细胞培养中子宫内膜上皮-滋养层的黏附。然而，当从患有子宫内膜疾病的女性中分离出子宫内膜上皮细胞时，半乳糖凝集素-7增加了上皮-滋养层的黏附。
半乳糖凝集素-7由子宫内膜上皮产生，在有流产史的女性子宫内膜中异常升高。血清水平可能作为流产的预测生物标志物有用。我们的数据表明，半乳糖凝集素-7促进胚胎与子宫内膜的黏附，而升高的半乳糖凝集素-7可能导致异常黏附。
