Cyclic variability of stromal cell-derived factor-1 and endothelial progenitor cells during the menstrual cycle.
The endometrium goes through a unique cycle of physiological angiogenesis during the normal menstrual cycle (MC). We studied whether there is a correlation between endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and plasma and endometrial levels of angiogenic growth factors during the MC. Ten healthy, regularly menstruating women provided blood samples and another 16 supplied endometrial biopsies. Blood samples were obtained over a single MC: twice in the proliferative and once in the secretory phase and at ovulation. Endometrial biopsies were provided in the proliferative or in the secretory phase. We assessed plasma levels of vascular endothelial and fibroblast growth factors, granulocyte and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factors and stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) by ELISA; EPCs by a colony-forming unit (CFU) assay; immunostaining for endometrial SDF-1 by computer-assisted software; and endothelial cell (EC) markers by flow cytometry. In the proliferative phase, SDF-1 levels were significantly higher than during the secretory phase. EPC-CFUs correlated negatively to SDF-1 levels. Endometrial SDF-1 expression tended to be higher in the secretory than in the proliferative phase. Furthermore, vascular endothelial growth factor receptors and Tie-2 EPCs showed a cyclic pattern over the MC. Our results point to SDF-1 as a novel mediator of EPC trafficking during the MC.
Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden. elzafir.elsheikh@ki.se
Elzafir
E
Elsheikh
Christer
C
Sylvén
Bo-Göran
BG
Ericzon
Jan
J
Palmblad
Miriam
M
Mints
D000328:Adult; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000097:blood; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor