Endometrial gene expression in early pregnancy: lessons from human ectopic pregnancy.

Human endometrium undergoes modifications in preparation for embryonic implantation. This study investigated in vivo the endocrine effects of pregnancy on the endometrium, using the model of ectopic pregnancy. Endometrial biopsies from 9 subjects with ectopic pregnancy (Preg) were compared with 8 and 6 samples of mid and late secretory endometrium, respectively. After hybridizing with Affymetrix HGU133 Plus 2 chips, data were analyzed using GeneSpring GX and Ingenuity Pathways Analysis. From 54 675 genes, 3021 genes were significantly differentiated when mid-secretory endometrium was compared with the Preg (Volcano plot; P < .05, ≥2-fold change). The complement and coagulation cascade, phospholid degradation, glycosphingolipid biosynthesis (globoseries), retinol metabolism, antigen presentation pathway, glycosphingolipid biosynthesis, and O-glycan biosynthesis were main significant canonical pathways found in Preg samples. Validation was done with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. In conclusion, the ectopic embryo has a significant impact, by an endocrine mechanism, on endometrium, when compared with the window of implantation. Similar content being viewed by others

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Samples were collected at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. Data analysis and RT-PCR were performed at University of California, San Francisco. Immunohistochemistry was performed at Greenville Hospital System. Rights and permissions About this article Cite this article Savaris, R.F., Hamilton, A.E., Lessey, B.A. et al. Endometrial Gene Expression in Early Pregnancy: Lessons From Human Ectopic Pregnancy. Reprod. Sci. 15, 797–816 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719108317585 Published: Issue date: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719108317585