Abstract
Successful embryo implantation requires receptive endometrium, which is conducive to the process of embryo recognition, adhesion, and invasion within a certain period of time and is inseparable from the dynamic interaction between 17β-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4). Proper glucose metabolism is critical for the profound physiological changes in the endometrium entering the receptive state. And glucose transporters (GLUTs) are responsible for intracellular uptake of glucose and are the first step in glucose metabolism. Prior literature has reported the presence of GLUTs in the endometrium. However, we still do not understand the specific mechanisms of this process. In this study, we identified the effect of P4 on glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) using in vivo animal models and determined the regulation of glucose metabolism by P4 in cells. We highly suspect that this pregnancy failure may be due to reduced GLUT1-mediated glucose metabolism, resulting in a decrease in endometrial receptivity caused by an inadequate energy supply and synthesis of substrate. Here, we propose a possible mechanism to explain how embryo implantation is affected by P4 and glucose utilization under abnormal endometrial conditions.
Highlights
Embryo implantation is a key process in the establishment of mammalian pregnancy
We detected glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and GLUT3 mRNAs in human endometrium tissue and found that the GLUT1 expression level in human endometrium was higher during the secretory phase than during the proliferative phase, but no difference was observed in GLUT3 (Figure 1B)
The results showed that the GLUT1 expression was consistent with mRNA level in the human endometrium (Figures 1C,D), and that its localization is mainly in glandular epithelium
Summary
Embryo implantation is a key process in the establishment of mammalian pregnancy. The endometrium must be in a receptive state to successfully complete this step. This complex series of events occurs during a restricted time period, known as the “window of implantation” (Teh et al, 2016). Poor receptivity of the uterus during implantation may be the cause of implantation failure in women with repeated failed pregnancies or multiple “in vitro fertilization” (IVF) failures. The root cause of early pregnancy failure may be that the endometrium is not properly differentiated to the receptive state, even when the embryo is developing normally (Carson et al, 2000; Gellersen et al, 2007). Some studies have shown that adequate glucose uptake and metabolism are crucial for
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