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Hormonal Regulation of Galectin 3 in Trophoblasts and Its Effects on Endometrium

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Abstract

Previous studies had shown important functions of galectin 3 (Gal-3) in endometrium during embryo implantation, in regulation of endometrial cell proliferation and adhesion by interacting with integrin β3. In this study, we investigated hormonal regulation of Gal-3 in trophoblasts and its extracellular effects on endometrium. We used BeWo and RL95-2 cells as a model of trophoblastic and endometrial epithelial cells, respectively, to create an in vivo model of embryo implantation. Our results indicated that 17β-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) induced the expression of Gal-3 and promoted its secretion from BeWo cells. The exogenous Gal-3 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis of endometrial cells (RL95-2 cells) through activation of integrin β1. We further validated the proapoptotic effect of Gal-3 secreted by trophoblastic cell on endometrial cells by culturing RL95-2 cells with Bewo cells and measuring the apoptotic rate. Our analysis provides new insight into the critical roles of Gal-3 in embryo implantation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, 413 Zhaozhou Road, Shanghai, 200011, China

    Huan Yang MD & Wei Zhang MD, PhD

  2. Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Hugh S. Taylor MD

  3. Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF China-USA Centre, Shanghai, China

    Caixia Lei MD

  4. Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Chao Cheng PhD

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  1. Huan Yang MD
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  2. Hugh S. Taylor MD
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  3. Caixia Lei MD
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  4. Chao Cheng PhD
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  5. Wei Zhang MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Wei Zhang MD, PhD.

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Yang, H., Taylor, H.S., Lei, C. et al. Hormonal Regulation of Galectin 3 in Trophoblasts and Its Effects on Endometrium. Reprod. Sci. 18, 1118–1127 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719111407212

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