Abstract
Molecular events involved in successful embryo implantation are not well understood. In this study, we used MALDI imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) technologies to characterize the spatial and temporal distribution of phospholipid species associated with mouse embryo implantation. Molecular images showing phospholipid distribution within implantation sites changed markedly between distinct cellular areas during days 4-8 of pregnancy. For example, by day 8, linoleate- and docosahexaenoate-containing phospholipids localized to regions destined to undergo cell death, whereas oleate-containing phospholipids localized to angiogenic regions. Arachidonate-containing phospholipids showed different segregation patterns depending on the lipid class, revealing a strong correlation of phosphatidylethanolamines and phosphatidylinositols with cytosolic phospholipase A(2alpha) and cyclooxygenase-2 during embryo implantation. LC-ESI-MS/MS was used to validate MALDI IMS phospholipid distribution patterns. Overall, molecular images revealed the dynamic complexity of lipid distributions in early pregnancy, signifying the importance of complex interplay of lipid molecules in uterine biology and implantation.
Highlights
Molecular events involved in successful embryo implantation are not well understood
On the afternoon of day 5 of pregnancy, the proliferating stromal cells bordering the implanting embryo begin to differentiate into decidual cells, forming the avascular primary decidual zone (PDZ)
Proliferation is terminated in the PDZ, it continues in the secondary decidual zone (SDZ)
Summary
We used MALDI imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) technologies to characterize the spatial and temporal distribution of phospholipid species associated with mouse embryo implantation. Molecular images showing phospholipid distribution within implantation sites changed markedly between distinct cellular areas during days 4–8 of pregnancy. Arachidonate-containing phospholipids showed different segregation patterns depending on the lipid class, revealing a strong correlation of phosphatidylethanolamines and phosphatidylinositols with cytosolic phospholipase A2␣ and cyclooxygenase-2 during embryo implantation. Molecular images revealed the dynamic complexity of lipid distributions in early pregnancy, signifying the importance of complex interplay of lipid molecules in uterine biology and implantation.—Burnum, K. Spatial and temporal alterations of phospholipids determined by mass spectrometry during mouse embryo implantation. Prostaglandins, one major group of eicosanoid lipid molecules, are produced from arachidonic acid (AA) that is released from membrane phospholipids by phospholipase A2.
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