Non-invasive Intrauterine Administration of Botulinum Toxin A Enhances Endometrial Angiogenesis and Improves the Rates of Embryo Implantation

Abstract

Endometrial angiogenesis plays crucial roles in determining the endometrial receptivity. Defects in endometrial receptivity often cause repeated implantation failure, which is one of the major unmet needs for infertility and contributes a major barrier to the assisted reproductive technology. Despite the numerous extensive research work, there are currently no effective evidence-based treatments to prevent or cure this condition. As a non-invasive treatment strategy, botulinum toxin A (BoTA) was administered into one side of mouse uterine horns, and saline was infused into the other side of horns for the control. Impact of BoTA was assessed in the endometrium at 3 or 8 days after infusion. We demonstrated that BoTA administration enhances the capacity of endothelial cell tube formation and sprouting. The intrauterine BoTA administration significantly induced endometrial angiogenesis displaying increased numbers of vessel formation and expression levels of related marker genes. Moreover, BoTA intrauterine application promoted the endometrial receptivity, and the rates of embryo implantation were improved with BoTA treatment with no morphologically retarded embryos. Intrauterine BoTA treatment has a beneficial effect on vascular reconstruction of functional endometrium prior to embryo implantation by increasing endometrial blood flow near the uterine cavity suggesting BoTA treatment as a potential therapeutic strategy for patients who are suffering from repeated implantation failure with the problems with endometrial receptivity.