ACTA ENDOCRINOLOGICA (BUC)

Background. The transport of gametes and embryos is facilitated by motile cilia lining the inside of the fallopian tube. Progesterone regulates ciliary beat frequency (CBF) through multiple types of progesterone receptors in the fallopian tube. Membrane progesterone receptors beta and gamma (mPRβ and mPRγ) are both expressed in the ciliated cell lining of the fallopian tubes of humans. This study aimed at exploring the mRNA expression of mPRβ and mPRγ in the fallopian tubes of women with ectopic pregnancy. Materials and Methods. In this Case control study, a quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine the mRNA expression of mPRβ and mPRγ in the fallopian tubes obtained from 12 women with ectopic pregnancies, 12 women with normal pregnancies, and 12 healthy nonpregnant women in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle. Results. It was indicated that mPRβ and mPRγ were expressed in the fallopian tube of the three groups of participants. However, the expression of mPRβ and mPRγ mRNA in the fallopian tube of women with ectopic pregnancy was not significantly different from that of the nonpregnant and normal pregnant women. Conclusion. These results suggest that mPRs might play no role in etiology of ectopic pregnancies associated with disturbed progesterone signalling.

Background. Repeated implantation failure (RIF) is the most important problem in assisted reproductive technologies (ART). In the process of embryo implantation, accurate function of progesterone through progesterone receptors (PR) is crucial for establishment of a receptive endometrium. FKBP51 and FKBP52 are two co-chaperones acting as negative and positive regulators of PR function, respectively. Studies have shown that any deficiencies in expression of PR or its co-chaperones causes reproductive disorders. Materials and Methods. In this study we evaluated the PR protein expression by immunohistochemistry and expression of PR, FKBP51, FKBP52 genes by quantitative real-time PCR in endometrial tissue of normal and RIF women during the window of implantation. Results. Immunohistochemical studies showed that the PR protein expression in stromal cells is significantly higher in the endometrium of normal women than RIF women (P< 0.001). In addition, a significantly lower PR and FKBP52 gene expression was observed in endometrial tissue of RIF women compared to normal women (P< 0.001 and P< 0.001, respectively), whereas there was no significant difference in PR protein in epithelial cells (P= 0.3) and FKBP51 gene expression between the two groups (P= 0.6). Conclusion. The results indicate that altered expression of PR protein in stromal compartment and gene expression of PR and FKBP52 gene in endometrial tissue can be related to endometrial receptivity defects and occurrence of RIF.