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. 2010 Oct;14(4):171-7.

Effect of ovarian stimulation on the endometrial apoptosis at implantation period

Mandana Beigi Boroujeni  1 , Mojdeh Salehnia  2 , Ali Reza Khalatbary  1 , Shahram Pourbeiranvand  2 , Nasim Beigi Boroujeni  3 , Saedeh Ebrahimi  2
Affiliations

Effect of ovarian stimulation on the endometrial apoptosis at implantation period

Mandana Beigi Boroujeni et al. Iran Biomed J. 2010 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Apoptosis is a process that plays an important role during early stage of implantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of apoptosis in mice endometrium after ovarian stimulation at implantation period.

Methods: NMRI female mice were divided into two groups: 1) control group, which were rendered pseudopregnant by vaginal stimulation and 2) experimental group, which were stimulated using an intrapritoneal injection of 10 IU hMG followed by another injection of 10 IU hCG after 48 h. In the evening of the second injection, the mice were rendered pseudopregnant the same as control group. Samples were obtained from 1/3 middle part of uterine horns during implantation period. Apoptosis was assessed in two groups at implantation period using light and electron microscopic studies, TUNEL staining and semiquantitative RT-PCR.

Results: Our morphological and ultrastructural results showed apoptosis in both groups, while TUNEL analysis showed that the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells was higher in stimulated group than in the control group (P≤0.05). The expression of P53, Fas and FasL mRNA was similar in two groups but Bax and Bcl2 were much higher in control group than in the stimulated group (P≤0.05). The ratio of Bax/Bcl2 expression was much higher in stimulated group than in the control group (P≤0.05).

Conclusion: The ovarian stimulation could change the expression of some apoptosis-related genes and enhance the incidence of endometrial apoptosis at implantation period; thus, it could affect on the implantation rate and endometrial receptivity.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Endometrium; Gene expression.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Light microscope photograph of mouse endomerium by hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining. Arrows show the apoptotic cell (magnification × 1,000).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Semi-thin section of mouse endometrium. Apoptotic cell is visible with shrinkage of cytoplasm and condensed nuclei (arrow); magnification ×400.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell in mouse endometrium. (A) Normal cell with monotonous membrane and regular and euchromatin nuclei can be observed (magnification ×12000). (B) The nuclei of apoptotic cell shows condensed and marginated chromatin and apoptotic bodies formation is visible (magnification ×7000).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Micrograph of mouse endomerium with TUNEL staining. (A) control group and (B) stimulated group (more apoptotic cells can be observed). The arrows show the apoptotic cell with brown nuclei (magnification × 200).
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
RT-PCR analysis of apoptosis-specific gene expression in control group (line 1) and stimulated group (line 2). β2m gene (316 bp), p53 gene (227 bp), FasL gene (200 bp), Fas gene (419 bp), Bcl2 gene (240 bp) and Bax gene (160 bp). Line L, molecular weight marker (100 bp).
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