Proteomic analysis of human endometrium during the implantation window

AIM: To establish a method for determining the differential expression of proteins in human endometrium during the implantation window and to analyze the correlation between altered expression of the proteins and endometrial receptivity. METHODS: A comparative proteomic strategy in a combination of two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was adopted to search the proteomic alternations in the endometria of pre-receptive pre-receptive day 2 after luteinizing hormone surge (LH+2 d)] state versus the endometria of receptive (LH+7 d) state. Validation of annexin IV was performed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Approximate 2 555±98 polypeptide spots were revealed by densitometry analysis of the 2D protein maps in LH+2 d and LH+7 d endometrial tissues resolved in the linear range of pH 3~10 on the 2D gel, in which 31 proteins were found to be significantly changed, including 17 proteins up-regulated and 14 proteins down-regulated in LH+7 d samples. These 31 identified proteins were classified into 6 functional categories of the correlation with implantation process: cell migration or assimilation, enzymic activity, signal transduction and gene regulation, immunoregulation, vascularization, and blood clotting or fibrinolysis system. The same expression trend of annexin IV was confirmed by Western blotting. CONCLUSION: Human endometrium has a differential proteomic repertoire during the window of implantation. The 6 functional categories of differentially expressed proteins in the receptive endometrium indicate that they play an important role in transforming of the endometrium during the receptive state.