Objective: Intrauterine administration of autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) activated by HCG in vitro is reported to improve implantation rates in patients with repeated failure of IVF-ET. In this article, the impact of intrauterine administration of PBMCs on embryo implantation, pregnancy rate and the underlying mechanisms will be investigated.
Methods: Pregnant mice were randomly divided into three groups, including control group; embryo implantation dysfunction (EID) group; EID with PBMCs group. Uterine horns were excised to determine the number of pregnant mice and implantation sites on the Day 7.5 postcoitum. The expression levels of LIF and VEGF during the implantation window were detected with immunohistochemistry and Real Time-PCR analysis.
Results: Embryo implantation dysfunction model group showed a significant decrease in pregnancy rate, implantation sites and the expression of both the endometrial LIF and VEGF during the implantation window. EID with PBMCs group showed a higher pregnancy rate and endometrial LIF and VEGF expression compared to EID group.
Conclusion: Intrauterine administration of mouse PBMCs derived from unpregnant mice prior to embryo implant has a good influence on endometrial receptivity and embryonic implantation in EID mice.
Keywords: Embryo implantation dysfunction; endometrial receptivity; mouse; peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.