title: Increased expression of integrin-linked kinase during decidualization regulates the morphological transformation of endometrial stromal cells.
abstract: To study the impact of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) in endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) during decidualization.
  
  
  
  Laboratory study with the use of human endometrium.
  
  
  
  University hospital.
  
  
  
  Fertile reproductive-age women who had not received hormonal treatment for 3 months before tissue collection.
  
  
  
  Endometrium tissue collection, in vitro decidualization of isolated ESCs, and small interfering (si) RNA transfection.
  
  
  
  Immunohistochemistry, ELISA, Western blot analysis, methylthiazolyl tetrazolium assay, and immunofluorescence staining.
  
  
  
  In vivo expression of ILK is significantly increased in distended-fusiform stromal cells of late secretory endometrium and in cobblestone-shaped decidual cells of early pregnancy. During in vitro decidualization for up to 8 days, confluent cultures of isolated ESCs consistently displayed increased ILK expression and morphologic transformation from fibroblast-like to polygonal cells. Subsequent ILK knockdown by siRNA transfection reversed this transformation, accompanied by decreased phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3β and decreased viable cell numbers. Immunofluorescence staining of the decidualized ESCs demonstrated linkage of increased levels of ILK at the tips of the fan-shaped organization of actin stress fibers located in the submembranous area, which expanded the decidual cells into a typical polygonal appearance. Knock-down of ILK abrogated the polymerization and organization of actin fibers, which reverted the cells to their undecidualized morphology.
  
  
  
  During human endometrial decidualization, ILK is essential for morphologic transformation of ESCs through organization of the actin cytoskeleton; it may also function through subsequent GSK3β signaling, which requires further studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Ph.D. Program of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, and Center of Excellence for Cancer Research, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shuen-Kuei
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Atabekoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Serpil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uckac
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Aydin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arici
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
authors.forename: Sefa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arlier
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Keelung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chyi-Long
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-Shih
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida. Electronic address: uakayisli@health.usf.edu.
authors.forename: Umit A
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Kayisli
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D048430:Cell Shape; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003656:Decidua / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D005260:Female; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011247:Pregnancy; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D022502:Stress Fibers / Q000201:enzymology; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D000099200:Scaffold Protein ILK
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000099200:Scaffold Protein ILK; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human
keywords: Integrin-linked kinase; actin; decidualization; endometrium