Korean J Reprod Med.  2008 Mar;35(1):49-60.

Effects of 3-dimensional Co-culture of Human Endometrial Cells Decidualized with Progesterone and TGF-beta1 on the Development of Mouse 2-cell Embryos In Vitro

• Kwon WH
• Kim HG
• Lee DH
• Ko KR
• Lee KS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study was carried out to investigate the effects of 3-dimensional co-culture of human endometrial cells decidualized with progesterone and TGF-beta1 on the development of 2-cell mouse embryos.
METHODS
Stromal and epithelial cells isolated from human endometrial tissue were immunostained for cytokeratin and vimentin. Expression of TGF-beta1, its receptor-1,-2, integrin-beta3 and prolactin in mono or co-culture according to three different hormone conditions was investigated by RT-PCR. Differential staining was used to investigate the number of ICM and trophectoderm of hatched mouse blastocysts in different three conditions.
RESULTS
The immunohistochemical study was positive for cytokeratin or vimentin and confirmed that epithelial and stromal cells were isolated from endometrial tissue successfully. In co-culture, TGF-beta1, its receptor-1, integrin-beta3 and prolactin except TGF-beta1-r2 were expressed in progesterone dominant condition. The hatching and attaching rate were higher in the co-culture with decidualized cells (p<0.05). However, we observed that lots of the incomplete hatched blactocysts attached on non-decidualized cells. The ICM number of hatched mouse blastocysts was higher in co-culture with decidualized and non decidualized cells than media only culture (p<0.05). The trophectoderm number of hatched blastocyst was higher in the co-culture with decidualized cells than non-decidualized cells or media only culture (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
The administration of progesterone, estrogen and TGF-beta could induce decidualization of stromal and epithelial cells isolated from human endometrial tissue using 3-dimensional co-culture, and the decidualization of human endometrial cells could increase the hatching and attaching rate of 2-cell mouse embryos.

Keyword

Decidualization; TGF-beta1; Co-culture; Progesterone; RT-PCR

MeSH Terms

Animals
Blastocyst
Coculture Techniques
Embryonic Structures
Epithelial Cells
Estrogens
Humans
Keratins
Mice
Progesterone
Prolactin
Stromal Cells
Transforming Growth Factor beta
Transforming Growth Factor beta1
Vimentin
Estrogens
Keratins
Progesterone
Prolactin
Transforming Growth Factor beta
Transforming Growth Factor beta1
Vimentin