Human endometrial stromal cells improve embryo quality by enhancing the expression of insulin-like growth factors and their receptors in cocultured human preimplantation embryos.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate the mechanism by which human endometrial stromal cells improve embryo quality in coculture.


METHODS
Randomized study.


METHODS
Academic research center.


METHODS
Patients undergoing IVF-ET.


METHODS
Donated human embryos were cultured randomly either alone (group A) or with human endometrial stromal cells (group B), and the embryonic expression of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and their receptors was detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction after culture.


METHODS
The embryo frequency distribution of groups A and B before and after culture and the embryonic transcripts of the IGF family genes of the two study groups after culture were compared.


RESULTS
The embryo frequency distribution of the day 3 embryonic stages in groups A and B was not different. However, after culture, a statistically significant difference in blastocyst formation was observed between groups A and B. A significant increase in the expression of IGF-1, IGF-2, the IGF-1 receptor, and the insulin-receptor also was noted. Among the embryos that reached the blastocyst stage, the expression of IGF-1 and the IGF-1 receptor also was significantly different in the two study groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Human endometrial stromal cells enhanced the expression of IGFs and their receptors in cocultured human embryos, which may be essential for improving embryo quality.
Liu
H C
HC
The Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York 10021, USA. hcliu@mail.med.cornell.edu
He
Z Y
ZY
Mele
C A
CA
Veeck
L L
LL
Davis
O
O
Rosenwaks
Z
Z
D001755:Blastocyst; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011786:Quality Control; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000502:physiology