Quantitative Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Gene Expression and Immunohistochemical Localization in Human Endometrium Throughout the Menstrual Cycle1
Abstract
GnRH is one of the paracrine/autocrine regulators of hCG secretion produced by the human trophoblast during pregnancy. We hypothesized that GnRH may play a role in the embryonic/endometrial dialogue during early implantation. To examine this hypothesis, we assessed GnRH and GnRH-receptor mRNA and protein expression in human endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle of premenopausal fertile patients. Quantitation of the mRNA was performed by reverse transcription (RT)-competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the presence of a competitive cDNA fragment. RT-PCR revealed that unfractioned endometrium and isolated endometrial stromal and epithelial cells express GnRH and GnRH-receptor mRNA throughout all phases of the menstrual cycle. Quantitative PCR showed a dynamic pattern in the GnRH mRNA expression throughout the cycle, with a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the secretory phase as compared to the proliferative phase. Furthermore, quantitative competitive PCR of isolated glandular and stromal cells showed higher mRNA levels (p < 0.05) in the luteal phase in both compartments. GnRH immunostaining was localized in all major compartments, with the most intense staining during the luteal phase. On the basis of these data, we suggest that during reproductive life, endometrial GnRH may play a paracrine/autocrine role in the early stages of implantation by modulating embryonic trophoblastic secretion of hCG.
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GnRH and GnRHR have been detected in the placenta and decidua of several species.
“as GnRH and GnRHR have been detected in the placenta and decidua of several species23–28.”
From Conditional loss of ERK1 and ERK2 results in abnormal placentation and delayed parturition in the mouse (2019) · cites this paper as [28]
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The Role of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone in Murine Preimplantation Embryonic Development*
Raga, F., Casañ, E. M., Kruessel, J., Wen, Y., Bonilla-Musoles, F., & Polan, M. L. (1999) · Endocrinology · doi:10.1210/endo.140.8.6899 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Self-citationBrown, J. L., Sones, J. L., Angulo, C. N., Abbott, K., Miller, A. D., Boehm, U., & Roberson, M. S. (2019) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-019-45997-0 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
- Authors
- Raga, F., Casañ, E. M., Kruessel, J. S., Wen, Y., Huang, H.-Y., Nezhat, C., & Polan, M. L.
- Affiliations
- Valencian Infertility Institute (ES)
- Stanford Medicine (US)
- Corresponding author
- Raga, Francisco
- Venue
- Biology of Reproduction
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1998-09-01
- Volume
- 59
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 661-669
- ISSN
- 0006-3363 (ISSN-L)
- 1529-7268
- OpenAlex
- W2029222193
- Cited by
- 158
- References
- 58
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Biology of Reproduction (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Università degli Studi di Udine
- National Institutes of Health (1r01hd031575-01a1)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD 31575)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Biology and Fertility
- Keywords
- gonadotropin-releasing hormone, GnRH receptor, human endometrium, menstrual cycle, luteal phase, endometrial stromal cells, endometrial epithelial cells, paracrine signaling, autocrine signaling, implantation, hCG secretion, trophoblast, endometrial gene expression
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Endometrium, Female, Follicular Phase, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone, Luteal Phase, Menstrual Cycle, Pregnancy, Receptors, LHRH, RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase, RNA, Messenger, Gene Expression, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Premenopause
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