Regulation of inflammatory and angiogenesis mediators in a functional model of decidualized endometrial stromal cells.

The mechanisms involving the expression of interleukin (IL) 1 family members in the process of preparing the endometrium to receive an embryo remain unclear. In this study, decidualization differentially skewed the balance of IL1 family receptor expression in a pattern that increases endometrial stromal cell receptivity to IL1, IL18 and IL33. Additionally, endometrial cells showed increased expression of homeobox HOXA10 and HOXA11 and LIFR, which are known to be involved in endometrial embryo receptivity.

Selective modulation of the prostaglandin F2α pathway markedly impacts on endometriosis progression in a xenograft mouse model.

Study Hypothesis: Selective activation or blockade of the prostaglandin (PG) F2α receptor (FP receptor) affects ectopic endometrial tissue growth and endometriosis development.

Study Finding: FP receptor antagonists might represent a promising approach for the treatment of peritoneal endometriosis.

What Is Know Already: Eutopic and ectopic endometrium from women with endometriosis exhibit higher expression of key enzymes involved in the PGF2α biosynthetic pathway.

Annexin A1 is a new functional linker between actin filaments and phagosomes during phagocytosis.

Remodelling of the actin cytoskeleton plays a key role in particle internalisation and the phagosome maturation processes. Actin-binding proteins (ABPs) are the main players in actin remodelling but the precise role of these proteins in phagocytosis needs to be clarified. Annexins, a group of ABPs, are known to be present on phagosomes.

Initial receptor-ligand interactions modulate gene expression and phagosomal properties during both early and late stages of phagocytosis.

The receptors engaged during recognition and phagocytic uptake of microorganisms and particles influence signaling events and diverse subcellular responses that occur during phagosome formation and maturation. However, pathogens generally have multiple ligands on their surface, making it difficult to dissect the roles of individual receptors during phagocytosis. Moreover, it remains elusive to which extent receptor-ligand interactions and early binding events define the subsequent intracellular fate of phagosomes.