This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shiokawa, S. Articles by Yoshimura, Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Shiokawa, S. Articles by Yoshimura, Y.

Function of the Small Guanosine Triphosphate-Binding Protein RhoA in the Process of Implantation¹

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (S.S., K.S., N.S., H.H., M.I., Y.N.), Anatomy (Y.A., H.H.), and Biochemistry (S.N.), Kyorin University School of Medicine, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8611; and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine (Y.Y.), Shinanomachi, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: S. Shiokawa, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, 6-20-2, Shinkawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan. E-mail: shiochan{at}kyorin-u.ac.jp

The Rho family of small GTPases occupies a key position in the control of cell motility and morphology in response to extracellular stimuli. Rho proteins trigger the formation of contractile stress fibers, resulting in regulation of cell motility. We explored the expression and function of RhoA in human endometrium and decidua. RhoA immunoreactivity had a predominantly glandular epithelial distribution in the proliferative phase and midsecretory phase. In decidua, the expression of RhoA was more pronounced in the stromal cells as well as in the glandular epithelium. RhoA protein levels in proliferative phase and midsecretory phase endometrium as well as decidua were evaluated by immunoblotting; a single band of RhoA protein with a molecular mass of 21 kDa was detected in all cell lysates. Cultured human decidual cells were found to have few actin stress fibers. Decidual cells lost their actin stress fibers by the treatment with C3, an exoenzyme produced by Clostridium botulinum, whereas new actin stress fibers appeared in human decidual cells stimulated with lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). Mouse blastocysts became attached to cultured human decidual cells after embryos hatched from the zona pellucida. The majority of hatched blastocysts attached to human decidual cells within 24 h. Blastocysts attached to decidual cells exhibited extensive outgrowth after 48 h in culture. Treatment of decidual cells with C3 exoenzyme or LPA did not affect the rates of hatching and attachment of blastocysts, but outgrowth of embryos on decidual cells was inhibited by C3 exoenzyme treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Contrariwise, addition of LPA to decidual cells dose dependently increased the outgrowth of embryos on decidual cells. These findings suggest that RhoA in decidual cells is important for embryonic development and differentiation after attachment.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S.-U. Chen, H. Lee, D.-Y. Chang, C.-H. Chou, C.-Y. Chang, K.-H. Chao, C.-W. Lin, and Y.-S. Yang Lysophosphatidic Acid Mediates Interleukin-8 Expression in Human Endometrial Stromal Cells through Its Receptor and Nuclear Factor-{kappa}B-Dependent Pathway: A Possible Role in Angiogenesis of Endometrium and Placenta Endocrinology, November 1, 2008; 149(11): 5888 - 5896. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Grewal, J. G. Carver, A. J. Ridley, and H. J. Mardon Implantation of the human embryo requires Rac1-dependent endometrial stromal cell migration PNAS, October 21, 2008; 105(42): 16189 - 16194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Cloke, K. Huhtinen, L. Fusi, T. Kajihara, M. Yliheikkila, K.-K. Ho, G. Teklenburg, S. Lavery, M. C. Jones, G. Trew, et al. The Androgen and Progesterone Receptors Regulate Distinct Gene Networks and Cellular Functions in Decidualizing Endometrium Endocrinology, September 1, 2008; 149(9): 4462 - 4474. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Ye Lysophospholipid signaling in the function and pathology of the reproductive system Hum. Reprod. Update, September 1, 2008; 14(5): 519 - 536. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Shiokawa, M. Iwashita, Y. Akimoto, S. Nagamatsu, K. Sakai, H. Hanashi, M. Kabir-Salmani, Y. Nakamura, M. Uehata, and Y. Yoshimura Small Guanosine Triphospatase RhoA and Rho-Associated Kinase as Regulators of Trophoblast Migration J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., December 1, 2002; 87(12): 5808 - 5816. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Heneweer, L. H. Kruse, F. Kindhauser, M. Schmidt, K. H. Jakobs, H.-W. Denker, and M. Thie Adhesiveness of human uterine epithelial RL95-2 cells to trophoblast: Rho protein regulation Mol. Hum. Reprod., November 1, 2002; 8(11): 1014 - 1022. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Tokumura, Y. Kanaya, M. Miyake, S. Yamano, M. Irahara, and K. Fukuzawa Increased Production of Bioactive Lysophosphatidic Acid by Serum Lysophospholipase D in Human Pregnancy Biol Reprod, November 1, 2002; 67(5): 1386 - 1392. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. T. Budnik and A. K. Mukhopadhyay Lysophosphatidic Acid and Its Role in Reproduction Biol Reprod, April 1, 2002; 66(4): 859 - 865. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]