Leukemia inhibitory factor and interleukin-11: critical regulators in the establishment of pregnancy.
Blastocyst implantation into a receptive endometrium is critical to the establishment of pregnancy and is tightly regulated by factors within the blastocyst-endometrial micro-environment. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and interleukin-11 (IL11) have key roles during implantation. Female mice with a null mutation in the LIF or IL11RA gene are infertile due to a complete failure of implantation or a defective differentiation/decidualization response to the implanting blastocyst, respectively. LIF and IL11 deficiency during pregnancy is associated with infertility and miscarriage in women. Numerous cell populations at the maternal-fetal interface are regulated by LIF/IL11 including the endometrial epithelium, decidualizing stroma, placental trophoblasts and leukocytes. This review focuses on the roles of LIF/IL11 during early pregnancy and highlights their potential as contraceptive targets and therapeutic agents for infertility.
Paiva
Premila
P
Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research, 246, Clayton Road, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia. premila.paiva@princehenrys.org
Menkhorst
Ellen
E
Salamonsen
Lois
L
Dimitriadis
Evdokia
E
D000818:Animals; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D017370:Interleukin-11 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D011247:Pregnancy
D017370:Interleukin-11; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor