Objective: To observe the effect of Bushenyiqihexue recipe on the expression of endometrial pinopodes in blastocyst implantation dysfunctional mice.
Methods: To induce blastocyst implantation dysfunctional mice model, Kunming mice were injected subcutaneously with mifepristone on day 4 of pregnancy. First, Kunming mice were randomly assigned to the control group, the model group and treated group postcoitally. Every morning from day 1 of pregnancy (Pd1), the treated group was administered the Bushenyiqihexue recipe decoction, while the model group and control group were administered saline orally. On Pd4, the model and treated groups were injected subcutaneously with mifepristone diluted in propylene glycol, while the control group was injected with saline only. The expression of endometrial pinopodes between 21:30 and 22:00 on Pd4 (T1) and between 9:30 and 10:00 on Pd5 (T2) was determined by scanning electron microscopy.
Results: Compared with control group (90%, 14.7 +/- 1.4), pregnancy rate (25%) and mean implanted blastocysts (7.7 +/- 1.3) in model group were remarkably reduced (P < 0.05, P < 0.001). Compared with the model group, pregnancy rate (55%) and mean implanted blastocysts (12.3 +/- 0.8) in treated group were significantly improved (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). At T1, abundant developing pinopodes were expressed in endometrial surface in control group, whereas abundant fully developed pinopodes expressed at T2. At T1, only a few pinopodes were expressed locally in endometrial surface in model group, while completely disappeared at T2. At T1, endometrial surface in treated group expressed a lot of developing pinopodes which lagged behind slightly that of the control group in time, whereas many fully developed pinopodes expressed at T2.
Conclusions: Decreased pinopodes expression at T1 and complete loss expression of pinopodes at T2 seem to be the reasons for blastocyst implantation dysfunction induced by mifepristone. It is suggested that Bushenyiqihexue recipe could improve pinopodes expression in endometrial surface, eventually better uterine receptivity and improve the blastocyst implantation.