title: Low-dose mifepristone increases uterine expression of aquaporin 1/aquaporin 2 at the time of implantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which low-dose mifepristone serves as an antiimplantation contraceptive drug. A human endometrial explant system was used to study the effects of low-dose mifepristone (65 nmol/L and 200 nmol/L) on expression of the water channel family aquaporins, aquaporin-1 and aquaporin-2 (AQP1/AQP2), at the time of implantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endometrial samples from 17 normally cycling patients at the "window of implantation" were treated with different concentrations of mifepristone. The protein and mRNA expression of AQP1/AQP2 in the endometrium was examined using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The IHC and RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that expression of AQP1/AQP2 was increased by mifepristone in a dose-dependent manner, with the highest AQP1/AQP2 expression levels detected in subjects treated with 200-nmol/L mifepristone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-dose mifepristone may negatively regulate implantation by increasing AQP1/AQP2 protein and mRNA expression. The findings from this study provide further evidence to support the potential contraceptive activity of low-dose mifepristone.
authors.affiliation: Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310006, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Zhi-Da
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Ya-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Yue-Zhou
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bing-Jian
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Cai-Yun
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiao-Duan
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D051398:Aquaporin 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051399:Aquaporin 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: C496020:AQP1 protein, human; C496023:AQP2 protein, human; D051399:Aquaporin 2; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051398:Aquaporin 1; D015735:Mifepristone