title: β(1) and β(3) integrins disassemble from basal focal adhesions and β(3) integrin is later localised to the apical plasma membrane of rat uterine luminal epithelial cells at the time of implantation.
abstract: The present study investigated the expression of integrin subunits that are known to be associated with focal adhesions, namely β(1) and β(3) integrins in rat uterine luminal epithelial cells during early pregnancy. The β(1) and β(3) integrins were concentrated along the basal cell surface and were colocalised and structurally interacted with talin, a principal focal adhesion protein, on Day 1 of pregnancy. At the time of implantation, β(1) and β(3) integrins disassembled from the site of focal adhesions, facilitating the removal of uterine luminal epithelial cells for embryo invasion. Also at this time, β(3) integrin markedly increased along the apical membrane, suggesting a role in embryo attachment. This distributional change in β(1) and β(3) integrins seen at the time of implantation was predominantly under the influence of progesterone. Taken together, β(1) and β(3) integrin disassembly from focal adhesions and the increase in β(3) integrin apically are key components of hormonally regulated endometrial receptivity.
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Sciences (Discipline of Anatomy and Histology) and The Bosch Institute, Anderson Stuart Building, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. ykan0009@anatomy.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Yui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lecce
authors.forename: Margot L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D022001:Focal Adhesions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D039661:Integrin beta3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016608:Talin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019012:Integrin beta1; D039661:Integrin beta3; D016608:Talin; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol