title: MCM2 mediates progesterone-induced endometrial stromal cell proliferation and differentiation in mice.
abstract: Uterine decidualization characterized by stromal cell proliferation and differentiation is critical to the establishment of pregnancy in many species. Progesterone is a key factor in regulating endometrial cell decidualization, however, the molecular basis involved in mediating the effects of progesterone during decidualization remains largely unknown. We report here that the DNA replication licensing factor MCM2, one of the conserved set of six-related proteins (MCM complex: MCM2-7) essential for eukaryotic DNA replication, is dynamically expressed in both proliferative and differentiated stromal cells during mouse periimplantation uterus. Applying PR-knockout mouse model and pharmacological strategy, we further found that the expression of Mcm2 is induced by progesterone action in the mouse uterine stroma. Employing a primary cell culture system, we further demonstrated that siRNA-mediated silencing of MCM2 arrests the cell cycle at G1-S transition during stromal cell proliferation. Moreover, the downregulation of Mcm2 could also compromise stromal cell differentiation. Collectively, our studies uncovered the role of a unique DNA replication licensing molecule MCM2 in mediating Progesterone-induced stromal cell decidualization in mouse uterus.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shuangbo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tongtong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yufei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hangxiao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bingyan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Haibin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, People's Republic of China. zhangshuang0122@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D064111:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C576318:Mcm2 protein, mouse; D011374:Progesterone; D064111:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 2
keywords: Decidualization; Mcm2; Progesterone; S-phase; Uterine stroma