Loss of Basigin expression in uterine cells leads to subfertility in female mice

Biol Reprod. 2021 Jun 9:ioab109. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioab109. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTBasigin (BSG) is a transmembrane glycoprotein involved in cell proliferation, angiogenesis and tissue remodeling. BSG has been shown to be essential for male and female reproduction although little is known about its role in normal uterine function. To study the potential function of BSG in the female reproductive tract, we generated mice with conditional knockout of Bsg in uterine cells using progesterone receptor-Cre and hypothesized that BSG is required for normal pregnancy in mice. Fertility study data showed that the conditional knockout mice had significantly reduced fertility compared to controls. Ovarian function of the conditional knockout mice appeared normal with no difference in the number of superovulated oocytes collected or in serum progesterone levels between the conditional knockout and the control mice. Uterine tissues collected at various times of gestation showed increased abnormalities in implantation, decidualization, placentation and parturition in the conditional knockout mice. Uterine cross sections on day 5 of pregnancy showed implantation failure and abnormal uterine epithelial differentiation in a large proportion of the conditional knockout mice. There was a compromised decidual response to artificial decidualization stimuli and decreased mRNA and protein levels for decidualization genes in the uteri of the conditional knockout mice. We also observed altere...
Source: Biology of Reproduction - Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Source Type: research