Study of the regulation and functions of Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 (PGRMC1) in the human endometrium

An inappropriate response to the hormone progesterone can lead to endometrial pathologies such as endometriosis and cancer, as well as reduced efficacy of treatments. The aim of my PhD was to study the hormonal regulation and functions, in the human endometrium, of an alternative modulator of progesterone effects, Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 (PGRMC1). Although PGRMC1 expression varies in the endometrium during the menstrual cycle, I did not identify any regulatory effect of estradiol and progesterone in a xenograft model or in primary culture. In contrast, my comparative study of the effects of PGRMC1 in mammary and endometrial cancer cells yielded interesting results. PGRMC1 stimulates cell migration and invasion in mammary cell lines, in line with the literature, but inhibits it in the endometrial Ishikawa cell line, suggesting a protective role against endometrial cancer.