Endothelial deletion of ADAM10, a key regulator of Notch signaling, causes impaired decidualization and reduced fertility in female mice.

TitleEndothelial deletion of ADAM10, a key regulator of Notch signaling, causes impaired decidualization and reduced fertility in female mice.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsGuahmich NLustgarten, Farber G, Shafiei S, McNally D, Redmond D, Kallinos E, Stuhlmann H, Dufort D, James D, Blobel CP
JournalAngiogenesis
Volume23
Issue3
Pagination443-458
Date Published2020 08
ISSN1573-7209
KeywordsADAM10 Protein, Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases, Animals, Decidua, Female, Fertility, Gene Deletion, Membrane Proteins, Mice, Mice, Knockout, Pregnancy, Receptors, Notch, Signal Transduction
Abstract

During the initiation of pregnancy, the vasculature of the implantation site expands rapidly, yet little is known about this process or its role in fertility. Here, we report that endothelial-specific deletion of a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10), an essential regulator of Notch signaling, results in severe subfertility in mice. We found that implantation sites develop until 5.5 days post conception (dpc) but are resorbed by 6.5 dpc in A10ΔEC mice. Analysis of the mutant implantation sites showed impaired decidualization and abnormal vascular patterning compared to controls. Moreover, RNA-seq analysis revealed changes in endothelial cell marker expression consistent with defective ADAM10/Notch signaling in samples from A10ΔEC mice, suggesting that this signaling pathways is essential for the physiological function of endometrial endothelial cells during early pregnancy. Our findings raise the possibility that impaired endothelial cell function could be a cause for repeated pregnancy loss (RPL) and infertility in humans.

DOI10.1007/s10456-020-09723-z
Alternate JournalAngiogenesis
PubMed ID32385775
PubMed Central IDPMC8603441
Grant ListR01 GM064750 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
P50 HD028934 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
P50-HD28934 / / Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / International
R35 GM134907 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL082098 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States