| Abstract [eng] |
Infertility affects approximately 10-15% of reproductive-age couples worldwide. Successful embryo implantation depends not only on embryo quality but also on the readiness of the uterine lining – the endometrium. During the preparation of this dissertation, we analyzed changes in epigenetic and other molecular factors in endometrial stromal cells (ESC) during decidualization and in response to the embryo-secreted factor, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The study revealed that the level of H4hyperAc specifically increases in the promoter regions of genes associated with decidualization (WNT4, HAND2, STAT5A), while the DNA methylation level in these regions remains unchanged. We also confirmed that the primary properties of mesenchymal stromal cells in ESC isolated from cryopreserved endometrial tissue are unchanged. However, in these cells, changes in the DNA methylation levels and expression of factors regulating this modification (DNA methyltransferases) were detected. Our study found that hCG enhances the functionality of endometrium, increasing H3K27Ac levels in the regions of genes associated with decidualization (FOXO1), and implantation (HOXA10, HAND2), as well as inducing changes in ESC secreted extracellular vesicles miRNAs. Evaluating molecular factors changes in ESC during decidualization enhances understanding of their role in physiological and pathological processes in the endometrium, and aids in identifying strategies for infertility diagnosis and treatment. |
