Matrix metalloproteinases-2, -7 and tissue metalloproteinase inhibitor-1 expression in human endometrium

Differentiation of human endometrial mesenchymal cells to epithelial and stromal cells by seeding on the decellularized endometrial scaffold

This study aimed to construct the endometrial-like structure by co-culturing of human mesenchymal endometrial cells and uterine smooth muscle cells in the decellularized scaffold. After decellularization of the human endometrium, cell seeding was performed by centrifugation of human mesenchymal endometrial cells with different speeds and times in 15 experimental subgroups. Analysis of residual cell count in suspension was done in all subgroups and the method with the lower number of suspended cells was selected for subsequent study. Then, the human endometrial mesenchymal cells and the myometrial muscle cells were seeded on the decellularized tissue and cultured for 1 wk; then, differentiation of the seeded cells was assessed by morphological and gene expression analysis. The cell seeding method by centrifuging at 6020 g for 2 min showed the highest number of seeded cells and the lowest number of residual cells in suspension. In the recellularized scaffold, the endometrial-like was seen with some protrusions on their surface and the stromal cells had shown spindle and polyhedral morphology. The myometrial cells almost were homed at the periphery of the scaffold and mesenchymal cells penetrated in deeper parts similar to their arrangement in the native uterus. The more expression of endometrial-related genes such as SPP1, MMP2, ZO-1, LAMA2, and COL4A1 and low-level expression of the OCT4 gene as a pluripotency marker confirmed the differentiation of seeded cells. Endometrial-like structures were formed by the co-culturing of human endometrial mesenchymal cells and smooth muscle cells on the decellularized endometrium.

Extracellular matrix-regulator MMPA is required for the orderly proliferation of neoblasts and differentiation of ectodermal progenitor cells in the planarian Dugesia japonica

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are members of a family of zinc-dependent metallopeptidase proteins that are widely found in plants, animals, and microorganisms. As the regulators of the extracellular matrix and basement membrane, MMPs play an important role in embryogenesis, development, innate immunity, and regeneration. However, the function of MMP family in planarian, a model for regeneration research, is still ambiguous. Here, we cloned 5 MMPs genes from Dugesia japonica and found that DjMMPA was associated with the process of regeneration, neoblasts cell maintenance confusion and destruction. Loss of DjMMPA led to homeostasis confusion and eventually death, owing to neoblasts proliferation disorder. Additionally, DjMMPA RNAi-treated animals had impaired regeneration after amputation. Furthermore, knockdown of DjMMPA had noticeable defects in cell differentiation of ectoderm, especially in eyes and neural progenitor cells, possibly by inhibiting Wnt signaling. Our results suggest that extracellular matrix-regulator MMPA is required for the orderly proliferation of neoblasts and differentiation of ectodermal progenitor cells in the planarian, which provide valuable information for further explorations into the molecular mechanism of MMPS, stem cells, and regeneration.

miR-29c overexpression and COL4A1 downregulation in infertile human endometrium reduces endometrial epithelial cell adhesive capacity in vitro implying roles in receptivity

The endometrium is a highly complex tissue that is vulnerable to subtle gene expression changes and is the first point of contact for an implanting blastocyst. Successful blastocyst implantation can only occur when the endometrium is receptive during a short window with each menstrual cycle. microRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate their gene targets. miR-29c has previously been identified to be differentially regulated across the fertile menstrual cycle, however it has not been investigated in association with infertility. We hypothesised that miR-29c dysregulation in the infertile endometrium would negatively influence endometrial adhesion and blastocyst implantation outcomes during the mid-secretory, receptive phase. miR-29c expression was elevated in early and mid-secretory phase infertile endometrium and localised to the epithelial compartments of endometrial tissue. Overexpression of miR-29c in vitro impaired endometrial epithelial adhesion, and reduced collagen type IV alpha 1 (COL4A1) mRNA expression. COL4A1 was immunolocalised to the luminal and glandular epithelial basement membranes in early and mid-secretory phase fertile and infertile endometrium for the first time. Knockdown of COL4A1 impaired endometrial epithelial adhesion suggesting a role in endometrial receptivity and implantation. Our data suggests miR-29c overexpression with infertility may impair the adhesive capacity of the endometrium, potentially contributing to implantation failure and infertility.