The antiapoptotic effect of galectin-3 in human endometrial cells under the regulation of estrogen and progesterone.
Galectin-3 (Gal-3), a ubiquitously expressed gene involved in many cellular processes, has been recently recognized as a factor related to endometrial receptivity. However, the precise biological function of Gal-3 in the endometrium and its regulation is still unclear. In this study, we detected the antiapoptotic role of Gal-3 in endometrial cells and the expression of Gal-3 regulated by estrogen and progesterone. We found that expression of Gal-3 increased when exposed to the apoptosis inducer staurosporine. Gal-3-silenced endometrial cells were more sensitive to the apoptosis inducer. Estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) up-regulated Gal-3 expression, which in turn decreased the apoptotic rate of endometrial cells. Our results strongly suggested that hormonal activation of Gal-3 by E2 and P4 is involved in inhibiting endometrial cell apoptosis, playing key roles in embryo implantation.
Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Huan
H
Yang
Caixia
C
Lei
Chao
C
Cheng
Yuzhe
Y
Feng
Wei
W
Zhang
Rafaella Gehm
RG
Petracco
Sharif
S
Sak
D017209:Apoptosis; D002460:Cell Line; D004717:Endometrium / Q000502:physiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011374:Progesterone / Q000502:physiology*; D019311:Staurosporine; D015854:Up-Regulation
D004967:Estrogens; D037502:Galectin 3; D011374:Progesterone; D019311:Staurosporine