Uterine NDRG2 expression is increased at implantation sites during early pregnancy in mice, and its down-regulation inhibits decidualization of mouse endometrial stromal cells

Abstract

BackgroundN-myc down-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is a tumor suppressor involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. The aim of this study was to determine the uterine expression pattern of this gene during early pregnancy in mice.MethodsUterine NDRG2 mRNA and protein expression levels were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot analyses, respectively, during the peri-implantation period in mice. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was performed to examine the spatial localization of NDRG2 expression in mouse uterine tissues. The in vitro decidualization model of mouse endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) was used to evaluate decidualization of ESCs following NDRG2 knock down by small interfering RNA (siRNA). Statistical significance was analyzed by one-way ANOVA using SPSS 19.0 software.ResultsUterine NDRG2 gene expression was significantly up-regulated and was predominantly localized to the secondary decidual zone on days 5 and 8 of pregnancy in mice. Its increased expression was associated with artificial decidualization as well as the activation of delayed implantation. Furthermore, uterine NDRG2 expression was induced by estrogen and progesterone treatments. The in vitro decidualization of mouse ESCs was accompanied by up-regulation of NDRG2 expression, and knock down of its expression in these cells by siRNA inhibited the decidualization process.ConclusionsThese results suggest that NDRG2 might play an important role in the process of decidualization during early pregnancy.

Uterine RGS2 expression is regulated by exogenous estrogen and progesterone in ovariectomized mice, and downregulation of RGS2 expression in artificial decidualized ESCs inhibits trophoblast spreading in vitro

“…We followed a previously described method of collecting uterine tissue at different stages of pregnancy (Gu et al, ). Uterine tissue was collected from pregnant mice on Days 0.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, and 8.5 of pregnancy.…”

“…The isolation and culture of mouse ESCs was performed as described previously (Gu et al, ). On the 4th day of pregnancy, uterine horns were collected, trimmed, cleaned, and slit longitudinally.…”

Decreased NDRG1 expression is associated with pregnancy loss in mice and attenuates the in vitro decidualization of endometrial stromal cells

“…Immunohistochemistry was performed as previously described (Gu et al, ). Briefly, the collected mouse uterine tissues were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde in phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) and then embedded in paraffin (Leica, Wetzlar, Hessen, Germany).…”

“…Given that NDRG1 plays important roles in cell proliferation and differentiation and that another three members of the NDRG family, NDRG2 (Gu et al, ), NDRG3 (Yang et al, ) and NDRG4 (Yang, Gu et al, ), have been recently identified to be involved in the decidualization of mouse endometrial stromal cells (ESCs), we hypothesized that NDRG1 might participate in the regulation of the implantation process, especially in the differentiation of ESCs. Thus, the current study was carried out to examine the uterine expression pattern of NDRG1 during the peri‐implantation period in mice, to observe the association of the NDRG1 expression level with pregnancy loss in mice and to observe the in vitro differentiation of human and mouse ESCs.…”

Erratum: Uterine NDRG2 expression is increased at implantation sites during early pregnancy in mice, and its down-regulation inhibits decidualization of mouse endometrial stromal cells

“…After publication of this article [ 1 ], the authors noticed an error in Fig. 5 : in panel c, the bands produced by NDRG2 and beta-actin were incorrectly labelled.…”