Tubal Ligation Induces Quiescence in the Epithelia of the Fallopian Tube Fimbria

Reprod Sci. 2015 Oct;22(10):1262-71. doi: 10.1177/1933719115574345. Epub 2015 Mar 2.

Abstract

Tubal ligation keeps the fimbriated end of the fallopian tube intact while interrupting the conduit for sperm and egg between the uterus and ovary. Tubal ligation is associated with an approximately 20% decreased risk of high-grade serous ovarian cancers, which mounting evidence suggests arise from the distal fallopian tube epithelium. We postulated that biological changes at the epithelial cellular level of the distal fallopian tube may account for the surgical procedure's observed risk reduction. We compared the histology, presence of epithelial progenitors (basally located CD44-positive cells), and degree of epithelial proliferation (Ki67-positive cells) of distal fallopian tube from 10 patients with previous tubal ligation and 10 age-matched patients with uncut fallopian tubes. A significantly reduced population of proliferating epithelial progenitors (basally located CD44/Ki67 dual-positive cells) was detected in the tubal ligated specimens (P = .0002). To functionally assess the effect of tubal ligation, a murine model was utilized to compare the growth capacity of distal fallopian tube epithelial cells isolated from either ligated or sham-operated tubal epithelia. Murine fallopian tube epithelial cells isolated after tubal ligation showed a significantly reduced capacity to grow organoids in culture compared to sham-operated controls (P = .002). The findings of this study show that tubal ligation is associated with a reduced presence and decreased proliferation of progenitor cells in the distal fallopian tube epithelium. These compositional and functional changes suggest that tubal ligation induces quiescence of distal fallopian tube epithelial cells.

Keywords: fallopian epithelial progenitors; fallopian tube epithelial proliferation; tubal ligation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Cell Proliferation*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cellular Senescence*
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology*
  • Fallopian Tubes / metabolism
  • Fallopian Tubes / pathology
  • Fallopian Tubes / surgery*
  • Female
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / metabolism
  • Ki-67 Antigen / metabolism
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Middle Aged
  • Red Fluorescent Protein
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Stem Cells / pathology*
  • Sterilization, Tubal*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • CD44 protein, human
  • Hyaluronan Receptors
  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins