title: Co-expression of CXCR4 and CXCR7 in human endometrial stromal cells is modulated by steroid hormones.
abstract: Endometrium modulated by estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) is important for implantation and pregnancy. The present study compared the expression of chemokine CXCL12 and chemokine receptor CXCR4 and CXCR7 between human cycling and early pregnant endometria by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Then the modulation of E and P on expression of CXCL12, CXCR4 and CXCR7 in human endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) was explored at both mRNA and protein level. The result of IHC showed that human ESCs of the menstrual period did not express CXCL12, CXCR4 or CXCR7 protein, however, the expression of CXCR4 and CXCR7 but not CXCL12 in ESCs increased in the proliferative and secretory phase, and the expression intensity for CXCR4 and CXCR7 in ESCs was the highest in the first trimester. Moreover, E and P were able to up-regulate the mRNA and protein expression of CXCR4 and protein expression of CXCR7 in ESCs (P<0.01). Thus, ESCs spatiotemporally co-express CXCR4 and CXCR7 rather than CXCL12, and E and P are able to regulate the expression of CXCR4 and CXCR7 in ESCs, suggesting the modulation of steroid hormones on chemokine receptor expression in ESCs.
authors.affiliation: Medical Center for Human Reproduction, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing 100020, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wen-Hui
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Medical Center for Human Reproduction, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan 430071, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan 430071, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei-Dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital and Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mei-Rong
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D054387:Receptors, CXCR / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C501896:ACKR3 protein, human; C527276:CXCR4 protein, human; D004967:Estrogens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054387:Receptors, CXCR; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D011374:Progesterone
keywords: Endometrial stromal cells; chemokine/chemokine receptor; steroidal hormone