To identify candidate genes regulated by forkhead transcription factor box A2 (FOXA2) in the uterus, control and Foxa2-deleted uteri were collected at day of pseudopregnancy (DOPP) 3.5 (DOPP 0.5= vaginal plug). Microarray analysis identified differentially expressed genes in the Foxa2-deleted as compared to control uteri that are candidiate FOXA2-regulated genes in the uterus.
Integrated chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and microarray analysis identifies FOXA2 target genes in the glands of the mouse uterus.
Specimen part
View SamplesProgestins have long been used clinically for the treatment of endometrial cancers, however, the response rates to progestin therapy vary and the molecular mechanisms behind progestin insensitivity are poorly understood. We hypothesized that in PTEN mutated endometrial cancers, hyperactive Akt signaling downregulates Progesterone Receptor B (PRB) transcriptional activity, leading to overall impaired progestin responses. We report that knockdown of Akt is sufficient to upregulate a subset of PRB target genes.
Akt regulates progesterone receptor B-dependent transcription and angiogenesis in endometrial cancer cells.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Research resource: Genome-wide profiling of progesterone receptor binding in the mouse uterus.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesProgesterone (P4) signaling through its nuclear transcription factor, the progesterone receptor (PR), is essential for normal uterine function. Although deregulation of PR mediated signaling is known to underscore uterine dysfunction and a number of endometrial pathologies, the early molecular mechanisms of this deregulation are unclear. To address this issue, we have defined the genome-wide PR and GATA2 cistrome in the murine uterus using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by massively parallel sequencing (ChIP-seq). In uteri of ovariectomized mice, we identified 6367 PR binding sites in the absence of P4 ligand; however, this number increased at nearly three fold (18,432) following acute P4 exposure. Sequence analysis revealed that approximately 73% of these binding sites contain a progesterone response element (PRE) or a half-site motif recognized by the PR. Many previously identified P4 target genes known to regulate uterine function were found to contain PR binding sites, confirming the validity of our methodology. In addition we identified 46,183 GATA2 binding sites in P4 treatment conditions with 7,954 binding sites overlapping that of the PR.
Research resource: Genome-wide profiling of progesterone receptor binding in the mouse uterus.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesOvarian estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) are indispensable for embryo-implantation and endometrial stromal decidualization; however, the molecular mechanisms that underpin these reproductive processes are unclear. Steroid receptor coregulator-2 (SRC-2) belongs to the multifunctional SRC/p160 family which also includes SRC-1 and SRC-3. Sharing strong sequence homology, all three SRCs exert diverse regulatory effects by modulating the transcriptional potency of nuclear receptor family members, including the estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER and PR respectively). Importantly, absence of SRC-2 in PR positive cells in the epithelial, stromal, and myometrial compartments of the murine uterus results in a striking infertility defect. This reproductive phenotype highlights a key role for SRC-2 in uterine function which is not shared with other coregulators. Intriguingly, abrogation of uterine SRC-2 does not block embryo apposition or attachment to the apical surface of luminal epithelial cells of the endometrium but rather prevents P4-dependent local decidualization of the sub-epithelial stroma. Remarkably, epithelial-specific ablation of SRC-2 in the murine uterus does not compromise endometrial functionality, again underscoring the unique importance of stromal derived SRC-2 in uterine function. The stromal decidualization defect resulting from SRC-2 ablation is reflected at the molecular level by a marked attenuation in P4 responsive target genes known to be critical for P4 dependent decidualization (i.e. ERBB receptor feedback inhibitor 1, Follistatin and Fkbp5). Conversely, the induction of E2 or P4 target genes involved in embryo implantation (i.e. leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and Indian hedgehog (Ihh) respectively) is not affected by SRC-2s absence. As with mouse studies, decidualization of primary human stromal cells (HESCs) in culture is blocked by SRC-2 knockdown; however, HESC decidualization is unaffected by knockdown of SRC-1 or SRC-3. As a consequence of SRC-2 knockdown, molecular studies disclose a striking decrease in the induction of a subset of P4 target genes (i.e. WNT4 and FKBP5) which are essential for the stromal-epithelioid transformation step, the cellular hallmark of endometrial decidualization. Collectively, these studies not only showcase the evolutionary importance of SRC-2 in endometrial biology but also suggest that deregulation of this coregulator may underpin a spectrum of hormone-dependent uterine pathologies such as endometriosis and endometrial cancer.
A murine uterine transcriptome, responsive to steroid receptor coactivator-2, reveals transcription factor 23 as essential for decidualization of human endometrial stromal cells.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe role of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (Bmp2)in regulating the transformation of the uterine stroma during embryo implantation in the mouse was investigated by the conditional ablation of Bmp2 in the uterus using the (PR-cre) mouse.
Bmp2 is critical for the murine uterine decidual response.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe small G-protein KRAS is crucial for mediating gonadotropin-induced events associated with ovulation. However, constitutive expression of KrasG12D in granulosa cells disrupted normal follicle development leading to the persistence of abnormal follicle-like structures containing non-mitotic cells. To determine what factors mediate this potent effect of KrasG12D, gene profiling analyses were done. We also analyzed KrasG12D;Cyp19-Cre and KrasG12D;Pgr-Cre mutant mouse models that express Cre prior to or after the initiation of granulosa cell differentiation, respectively. KrasG12D induced cell cycle arrest in granulosa cells of the KrasG12D;Cyp19-Cre mice but not in the KrasG12D;Pgr-Cre mice, documenting the cell context specific effect of KrasG12D. Expression of KrasG12D silenced the Kras gene, reduced cell cycle activator genes and impaired expression of granulosa cell and oocyte specific genes. Conversely, levels of PTEN and phosphorylated p38MAPK increased markedly in the mutant granulosa cells. Because disrupting Pten in granulosa cells leads to increased proliferation and survival, Pten was disrupted in the KrasG12D mutant mice. The Pten/Kras mutant mice were infertile but lacked GCTs. By contrast, the Ptenfl/fl;KrasG12D;Amhr2-Cre mice developed aggressive ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cell tumors that did not occur in the Ptenfl/fl;KrasG12D;Cyp19-Cre or Ptenfl/fl;KrasG12D;Pgr-Cre mouse strains. These data document unequivocally that Amhr2-Cre is expressed in and mediates allelic recombination of oncogenic genes in OSE cells. That KrasG12D/Pten mutant granulosa cells do not transform but rather undergo cell cycle arrest indicates that they resist the oncogenic insults of Kras/Pten by robust self-protecting mechanisms that silence the Kras gene and elevate PTEN and phospho-p38MAPK.
Cell type-specific targeted mutations of Kras and Pten document proliferation arrest in granulosa cells versus oncogenic insult to ovarian surface epithelial cells.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesSynchrony between embryo competency and uterine receptivity is essential for a successful implantation. Mice with ablation of COUP-TFII in the uterus (PRCre/+;COUP-TFIIflox/flox), exhibit implantation defects and increased ER activity in the luminal epithelium, suggesting the high ER activity may disrupt the window of uterine receptivity. In order to determine if the increased ER activity in PRCre/+;COUP-TFIIflox/flox mutant is the cause of the defective implantation, we inhibited of ER activity in order to rescue the implantation defect in mutant mice. ICI 182,780 (ICI), a pure ER antagonist, was administered to PRCre/+;COUP-TFIIflox/flox mutant and COUP-TFIIflox/flox control mice during receptive period and the number of implantation sites were examined. COUP-TFIIflox/flox control mice treated with oil or ICI showed the normal number of implantation sites. As expected no implantation sites were observed in PRCre/+;COUP-TFIIflox/flox mutant mice treated with oil, consistent with previous observation. However, implantation sites were detected, albeit at a reduced number in comparison to the control in PRCre/+;COUP-TFIIflox/flox mutant mice upon ICI treatment.. ICI treatment was also able to rescue the expression of WNT4 and BMP2, genes important for endometrial decidualization in the PRCre/+;COUP-TFIIflox/flox mutant mice. To ensure the rescue of embryo attachment and decidualization is a consequence of a reduction of estrogen receptor activity with ICI treatment of the mutants, we examined the expression of ER target gene, such as lactoferrin, in PRCre/+;COUP-TFIIflox/flox mutant mice. Having shown that ICI could rescue the implantation and decidualization defects of the PRCre/+;COUP-TFIIflox/flox mutant mice, the ability of ICI treatment to rescue pregnancy in these mice was assayed. While mice were born in COUP-TFIIflox/flox control mice given ICI, no pups were born in the PRCre/+;COUP-TFIIflox/flox mutant mice, with the loss in pregnancy in the PRCre/+;COUP-TFIIflox/flox mutant mice treated with ICI being due to defects in placentation. These results demonstrate that during the peri implantation period, COUP-TFIIs role in regulating embryo attachment and decidualiton is through the reduction of ER activity. However COUP-TFII expression is still required in the post implantation period to facilitate placentation.
Suppression of ERalpha activity by COUP-TFII is essential for successful implantation and decidualization.
Specimen part
View SamplesRNA-sequencing of mRNA isolated from in vitro decidualizaing human endometrial stromal cells with or without siRNA-mediated knockdown of steroid receptor coactivator-2/nuclear receptor coactivator 2 (SRC-2/NCOA2) Overall design: Primary human endometrial stromal cells isolated from 3 healthy volunteers. Transfected with nontargeting or SRC-2/NCOA2 siRNA. Treated with estradiol, medroxyprogesterone acetate, and cAMP (EPC) for 0 or 3 days
Retinoid signaling controlled by SRC-2 in decidualization revealed by transcriptomics
Specimen part, Subject, Time
View SamplesUterine receptivity implies a dialogue between the hormonally primed maternal endometrium and the free-floating blastocyst. Endometrial stromal cells proliferate, avert apoptosis, and undergo decidualization in preparation for implantation; however, the molecular mechanisms that underlie differentiation into the decidual phenotype remain largely undefined. The Notch family of transmembrane receptors transduce extracellular signals responsible for cell survival, cell-to-cell communication, and trans-differentiation, all fundamental processes for decidualization and pregnancy. Using a murine artificial decidualization model, pharmacological inhibition of Notch signaling by gamma-secretase inhibition resulted in significantly decreased deciduoma. Furthermore, a progesterone receptor (PR)-Cre Notch1 bigenic (Notch1d/d) confirmed a Notch1-dependant hypomorphic decidual phenotype.
Notch1 mediates uterine stromal differentiation and is critical for complete decidualization in the mouse.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View Samples