Glycodelin A is expressed differentially in normal human endometrial tissue throughout the menstrual cycle as assessed by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.
OBJECTIVE
To [1] evaluate glycodelin A immunolabeling in normal endometrium with specific monoclonal (mAb) and polyclonal peptide (pAb) antibodies, [2] to assess glycodelin messenger RNA (mRNA) by in situ hybridization, and [3] to conduct deglycosylation experiments to evaluate the recognized epitope of the mAb vs. pAb.


METHODS
Retrospective immunohistochemical analysis.


METHODS
University institute and hospital in Germany.


METHODS
Normal human endometrial tissue from the proliferative (PP), early secretory, and late secretory phases were obtained from patients undergoing surgery for benign diseases.


METHODS
Generation of a pAb in rabbit, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization.


METHODS
Semiquantitative and computerized analysis.


RESULTS
A statistically significant increase of the glycodelin A immunolabeling in the late secretory phase compared with PP was demonstrated by using the mAb. Polyclonal-peptide antibody immunolabeling also showed a rise between the PP and late secretory phases, but without statistical significance. In situ hybridization demonstrated a statistically significantly higher mRNA content during the early secretory phase compared with during PP.


CONCLUSIONS
Glycodelin was demonstrated in normal endometrium at the protein and mRNA levels. The mAb may be more useful in assessing glycodelin expression in endometrium, because it probably can bind to glycodelin A-unique glycan structures, in contrast to the peptide pAb. This is of major interest because it may reveal possible structural and functional relationships in different parts of this molecule and elucidate possible functions of this glycoprotein in human endometrial tissue.
Mylonas
Ioannis
I
First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Germany.
Jeschke
Udo
U
Kunert-Keil
Christiane
C
Shabani
Naim
N
Dian
Darius
D
Bauerfeind
Ingo
I
Kuhn
Christina
C
Kupka
Markus S
MS
Friese
Klaus
K
D000328:Adult; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D000071816:Glycodelin; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism*; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D000071816:Glycodelin; D006023:Glycoproteins; C045246:PAEP protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D012313:RNA