Infertility in female mice lacking the receptor for interleukin 11 is due to a defective uterine response to implantation.
During early pregnancy, in response to the implanting embryo, the surrounding uterine stroma undergoes a dramatic transformation into a specialized tissue known as the decidua. The decidua encapsulates the developing embryo, facilitating nutrient transfer and limiting trophoblast invasion. Here we show that female mice with a null mutation of the interleukin-11 receptor alpha chain are infertile because of defective decidualization. A temporal analysis revealed IL-11 expression is maximal in the normal pregnant uterus at the time of decidualization, and in situ hybridization studies showed expression of the IL-11 and the IL-11 receptor alpha chain in the developing decidual cells. These observations reveal a previously unrecognized critical role for IL-11 signaling in female reproduction.
Robb
L
L
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Cooperative Research Centre for Cellular Growth Factors, Victoria, Australia. robb@wehi.edu.au
Li
R
R
Hartley
L
L
Nandurkar
H H
HH
Koentgen
F
F
Begley
C G
CG
D000818:Animals; D003656:Decidua / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000235:genetics*; D017370:Interleukin-11 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053703:Interleukin-11 Receptor alpha Subunit; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D011247:Pregnancy; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D053702:Receptors, Interleukin-11; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*
C508429:Il11ra1 protein, mouse; C508431:Il11ra2 protein, mouse; D017370:Interleukin-11; D053703:Interleukin-11 Receptor alpha Subunit; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D053702:Receptors, Interleukin-11