title: Uterine receptivity and cytokines: new concepts and new applications.
abstract: The implantation process, currently thought to be the most critical step in achieving a successful early pregnancy, remains one of the most important unsolved processes in reproductive medicine. It depends on uterine-dependent and embryo-specific events, which need to be critically coordinated. Early embryo signaling following a maternal hormonal or cytokine-mediated preparation phase seems to be involved in stages immediately before, during and just after the apposition step to permit adequate proliferation of the stroma. Our objective is to develop guidelines and diagnostic tools pertinent to appreciate uterine receptivity. We will focus our attention on the uterine luminal environment at the time of oocyte retrieval and on the monitoring of the endometrium using three-dimensional ultrasound associated with digital technology and cytokine quantification by real-time PCR during the implantation window in an IVF/ICSI population. There is an accumulating body of data which strongly suggests that both implantation and uterine receptivity are controlled, primarily, though not exclusively, by locally acting growth factors and cytokines, some under steroid control. Some specific cytokines (IL-12, IL-15 and IL-18) in the luminal environment and in the endometrium allow a distinct pattern of abnormal uterine receptivity. The identification of these distinct patterns of abnormal uterine receptivity and of the mechanisms leading to the abnormal angiogenesis before implantation strongly suggest that no single therapeutic scheme can correct all cases of implantation failure and should be adapted for each patient especially in the case of unexplained infertility.
authors.affiliation: Université Versailles St Quentin en Yvelines, Médecine de la Reproduction, CHI Poissy-St Germain en Laye, Poissy, France. Ledeenathalie@aol.com
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lédée
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dubanchet
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oger
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meynant
authors.forename: Raoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lombroso
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ville
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chaouat
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D014599:Uterus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D019409:Interleukin-15; D020382:Interleukin-18