Effect of assisted reproduction on maternal immune cells
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: To investigate differences in gene expression between bulk NK cells from naturally cycling endometrium versus bulk NK cells from superovulated endometrium, we performed bulk RNAseq of sort-purified endometrial NK cells.
Project description:The endometrium contains a distinct population of immune cells consisting of 70% natural killer (NK) cells that undergo cyclic changes during the menstrual cycle. However, how these uterine NK (uNK) cells interact with uterine stromal cells (SC) remains unclear. We therefore investigated the paracrine effect of medium conditioned by uNK cells on the gene expression profile of endometrial SC in-vitro using a cDNA Microarray. Our results, verified by real-time PCR and ELISA, reveal that soluble factors from uNK cells substantially alter endometrial SC gene expression. The largest group of up-regulated genes found were chemokines and cytokines, including IL-15 and IL-15Rα. The latter could produce a niche for uNK cells allowing proliferation within and recruitment into the uterus, as seen in bone marrow. In addition, the most abundantly up-regulated genes, including IL-8, CCL8 and CXCL1 have also been shown to be stimulated by contact of SC with trophoblast, suggesting that uNK cells work synergistically to support the initial trophoblast migration during implantation. Overall this study demonstrates for the first time the paracrine communication between uNK cells and uterine SC, and adds to the understanding of how the uterine immune system contributes to the changes seen within the cycling endometrium. Keywords: Response of endometrial stromal cells to uNK conditioned medium This study was designed to identify the response of non-decidualised stromal cells from the endometrium, to soluble factors secreted by uterine NK cells. Endometrial stromal cells were isolated from 7 patients and treated with control medium or medium conditioned by uterine Nk cells. THE 'REF' COLUMN ON EACH ARRAY IS THE SIGNAL PRODUCED BY A COMMON REFERNCE RNA SAMPLE THAT WAS LABELLED AS A SINGLE BATCH SAMPLE AND HYBRIDISED TO ALL THE ARRAYS- IT IS A 'COMMON REFERENCE'. THE 'TEST' SAMPLE COMPRISES EACH INDIVIDUAL SAMPLE OF CELLS TREATED AS DESCRIBED IN THE SERIES SUBMISSION. FOR EXAMPLE; SAMPLE Y1 (gsm2435820) IS RNA FROM PATIENT 1 TREATED WITH CONTROL MEDIUM, SAMPLE G1 (GSM245371) IS RNA FROM PATIENT 1 TREATED WITH NK CONDITIONED MEDIUM THESE TWO SAMPLES THEREFORE FORM A PAIR- IE CELLS FROM THE SAME PATIENT TREATED WITH CONTROL OR NK-CONDITIONED MIDIUM. Y2,G2 ARE FROM PATIENT 2, ETC
Project description:Human NK cells from the decidua basalis of gravid uteri (dNK) and from cycling endometrium (eNK) of women undergoing hysterectomy were isolated and compared by gene expression profiling using Affymetrix microarrays with probes representing ~47,400 transcripts. Substantial differences indicate that these two types of NK cells represent distinct subsets. Freshly isolated NK cells were obtained by FACS sorting. 4 dNK and 5 eNK samples were obtained form independent donors. dNK cells were isolated from the decidua basalis of first trimester placentas and sorted as CD3-, CD16-, CD56+ cells. eNK cells were obtained from non-affected regions of cycling endometrium of donor women undergoing hysterectomy and were sorted as CD45+, CD56+, CD3- cells . The preliminary patient diagnoses included genital prolapse, fibroids, cervical dysplasia, or menorrhagia. All cycling endometrium samples were from the secretory phase of the cycle with exception of sample eNK_S6 that was from the proliferative phase.
Project description:Uterine NK cells (uNK) play a role in the regulation of placentation but their functions in non-pregnant endometrium are not understood. We have previously reported suppression of endometrial bleeding and alteration of spiral artery morphology in women exposed to asoprisnil, a progesterone receptor modulator (PRM). We now compare global endometrial gene expression in asoprisnil-treated versus control women and demonstrate a statistically significant reduction of genes in the IL-15 pathway, known to play a key role in uNK development and function. Suppression of IL-15 by asoprisnil was also observed at mRNA level (p<0.05), and immunostaining for NK cell marker CD56 revealed a striking reduction of uNK in asoprisnil-treated endometrium (p<0.001). IL-15 levels in normal endometrium are progesterone-responsive. Progesterone receptor (PR) positive stromal cells transcribe both IL-15 and IL-15RA. Thus, the response of stromal cells to progesterone will be to increase IL-15 trans-presentation to uNK, supporting their expansion and differentiation. In asoprisnil-treated endometrium, there is a marked down-regulation of stromal PR expression and virtual absence of uNK. These novel findings indicate that the IL-15 pathway provides a missing link in the complex interplay between endometrial stromal cells, uNK and spiral arteries affecting physiological and pathological endometrial bleeding. 39 Samples
Project description:The endometrium contains a distinct population of immune cells consisting of 70% natural killer (NK) cells that undergo cyclic changes during the menstrual cycle. However, how these uterine NK (uNK) cells interact with uterine stromal cells (SC) remains unclear. We therefore investigated the paracrine effect of medium conditioned by uNK cells on the gene expression profile of endometrial SC in-vitro using a cDNA Microarray. Our results, verified by real-time PCR and ELISA, reveal that soluble factors from uNK cells substantially alter endometrial SC gene expression. The largest group of up-regulated genes found were chemokines and cytokines, including IL-15 and IL-15Rα. The latter could produce a niche for uNK cells allowing proliferation within and recruitment into the uterus, as seen in bone marrow. In addition, the most abundantly up-regulated genes, including IL-8, CCL8 and CXCL1 have also been shown to be stimulated by contact of SC with trophoblast, suggesting that uNK cells work synergistically to support the initial trophoblast migration during implantation. Overall this study demonstrates for the first time the paracrine communication between uNK cells and uterine SC, and adds to the understanding of how the uterine immune system contributes to the changes seen within the cycling endometrium. Keywords: Response of endometrial stromal cells to uNK conditioned medium
Project description:The transition of regularly cycling endometrium from the proliferative or Estrogen-dominant phase of the menstrual cycle to the Progesterone-dominant Early and Mid Secretory phases requires wide-spread changes in gene expression that shift the endometrium from a proliferative capacity to a differentiated 'decidual' phenotype in preparation for implantation. This process appears delayed in women with severe endometriosis, suggestive of a progesterone resistant endometrium in this disease. Experiment Overall Design: Endometrial biopsies were obtained from women both with normal endometrial pathologies and no history of endometriosis and from women with laporoscopy proven moderate-severe stage endometriosis. Samples were collected from the Proliferative(PE), Early Secretory (ESE) and Midsecretory (MSE) phases. Samples were then processed for Total RNA isolation and Affymetrix chip hybridization.
Project description:Human NK cells from the decidua basalis of gravid uteri (dNK) and from cycling endometrium (eNK) of women undergoing hysterectomy were isolated and compared by gene expression profiling using Affymetrix microarrays with probes representing ~47,400 transcripts. Substantial differences indicate that these two types of NK cells represent distinct subsets.
Project description:During reproductive life, the human endometrium undergoes around 480 cycles of growth, breakdown and regeneration should pregnancy not be achieved. This outstanding regenerative capacity is the basis for women’s cycling and its dysfunction may be involved in the etiology of pathological disorders. Therefore, the human endometrial tissue must rely on a remarkable endometrial somatic stem cells (SSC) population. Here we explore the hypothesis that human endometrial side population (SP) cells correspond to somatic stem cells. We isolated, identified and characterized the SP corresponding to the stromal and epithelial compartments using endometrial SP genes signature, immunophenotyping and characteristic telomerase pattern. We analyzed the clonogenic activity of SP cells under hypoxic conditions and the differentiation capacity in vitro to adipogenic and osteogenic lineages. Finally, we demonstrated the functional capability of endometrial SP to develop human endometrium after subcutaneous injection in NOD-SCID mice. Briefly, SP cells of human endometrium from epithelial and stromal compartments display genotypic, phenotypic and functional features of SSC.
Project description:Uterine NK cells (uNK) play a role in the regulation of placentation but their functions in non-pregnant endometrium are not understood. We have previously reported suppression of endometrial bleeding and alteration of spiral artery morphology in women exposed to asoprisnil, a progesterone receptor modulator (PRM). We now compare global endometrial gene expression in asoprisnil-treated versus control women and demonstrate a statistically significant reduction of genes in the IL-15 pathway, known to play a key role in uNK development and function. Suppression of IL-15 by asoprisnil was also observed at mRNA level (p<0.05), and immunostaining for NK cell marker CD56 revealed a striking reduction of uNK in asoprisnil-treated endometrium (p<0.001). IL-15 levels in normal endometrium are progesterone-responsive. Progesterone receptor (PR) positive stromal cells transcribe both IL-15 and IL-15RA. Thus, the response of stromal cells to progesterone will be to increase IL-15 trans-presentation to uNK, supporting their expansion and differentiation. In asoprisnil-treated endometrium, there is a marked down-regulation of stromal PR expression and virtual absence of uNK. These novel findings indicate that the IL-15 pathway provides a missing link in the complex interplay between endometrial stromal cells, uNK and spiral arteries affecting physiological and pathological endometrial bleeding.
Project description:The goal of this study was to generate an NGS-derived transcriptome profile (RNA-seq) for a population of perivascular mesenchymal cells from healthy cycling Pdgfrb-BAC-eGFP mouse uterus. Bulk RNAseq revealed cells in the perivascular niche which express high levels of Pdgfrb (GFPhigh) also express genes previously identified in pericytes and/or vascular smooth muscle cells including Acta2, Myh11, Olfr78, Cspg4, Rgs4, Rgs5, Kcnj8 and Abcc9. Our work uncovers novel target genes for perivascular cell populations in mouse endometrium providing a platform to understand the role of these cells in endometrial physiology and disease.
Project description:The endometrium plays a crucial role in the reproductive organs in the aspect of embryo-maternal communication and pregnancy. This study investigated transcriptome profiles of endometrial cells stimulated with PBS, LPA and LPA in combination with IFNt. LPA, one of the signaling molecule, is locally produced and released from the bovine endometrium during estrous cycle and early pregnancy. The highest concentration of LPA and expression of its active receptor (LPAR1) were detected in bovine endometrium at the time of maternal recognition of pregnancy, when the conceptus announces its presence by increased IFNt production. Using transcriptomic approach we compared the influence of LPA and LPA together with IFNt on the gene expression profiles in bovine endometrial cells. A total of nine normally cycling Holstein/Polish Black and White (75/25% respectively) cows were used in this study. Global transcriptional profiling was performed using co-cultured stromal and epithelial cells (ratio - 3:1) isolated from bovine endometrium. Three experimental conditions (control (PBS), LPA and LPA plus IFNt) with three replicates per condition were prepared. Total RNAs were extracted from 9 pooled samples (n=3 for each sample) amplified and hybridized onto Affymetrix microarrays.