Menstrual cycle-dependent changes of Toll-like receptors in endometrium.
BACKGROUND
Rapid innate immune defences against infection usually involve the recognition of invading pathogens by specific pattern recognition receptors recently attributed to the family of Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Reports from our laboratory and others have demonstrated the existence of TLRs 1-6 in the female reproductive tract. However, little has been done to identify TLRs 7-10 in the female reproductive tract, particularly in the uterus. Also little information exists regarding variation in TLRs in the female reproductive tract during the menstrual cycle.


METHODS
The distribution of TLR7-10 protein was detected by immunostaining in timed endometrial biopsies from normal women. RT-PCR was used to show the existence of TLR1-10 genes in endometrial tissue and real-time PCR analysis to investigate the relative expression of these genes during the menstrual cycle in normal human endometrium.


RESULTS
TLR7-10 proteins were detected in endometrial epithelium and stroma. TLR1-10 genes were expressed in human endometrial tissue, and the mean relative expression of TLR2-6, 9 and 10 genes was significantly higher during the secretory phase compared with other phases of the menstrual cycle.


CONCLUSIONS
TLR7-10 localization is not limited to endometrial epithelium but is also present in the stroma of the endometrial tissue. Endometrial TLR2-6, 9 and 10 genes are cyclically expressed during the menstrual cycle.
Aflatoonian
R
R
Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Tuckerman
E
E
Elliott
S L
SL
Bruce
C
C
Aflatoonian
A
A
Li
T C
TC
Fazeli
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000502:physiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000502:physiology; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051201:Toll-Like Receptor 10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051200:Toll-Like Receptor 8 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000502:physiology*
C475955:TLR10 protein, human; C495348:TLR7 protein, human; C495349:TLR8 protein, human; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; D051201:Toll-Like Receptor 10; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7; D051200:Toll-Like Receptor 8; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors