Transplantation of collagen scaffold with autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells promotes functional endometrium reconstruction via downregulating ΔNp63 expression in Asherman's syndrome

Sci China Life Sci. 2017 Apr;60(4):404-416. doi: 10.1007/s11427-016-0328-y. Epub 2016 Dec 1.

Abstract

Asherman's syndrome (AS) is a common disease that presents endometrial regeneration disorder. However, little is known about its molecular features of this aregenerative endometrium in AS and how to reconstruct the functioning endometrium for the patients with AS. Here, we report that ΔNp63 is significantly upregulated in residual epithelial cells of the impaired endometrium in AS; the upregulated-ΔNp63 induces endometrial quiescence and alteration of stemness. Importantly, we demonstrate that engrafting high density of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMNCs) loaded in collagen scaffold onto the uterine lining of patients with AS downregulates ΔNp63 expression, reverses ΔNp63-induced pathological changes, normalizes the stemness alterations and restores endometrial regeneration. Finally, five patients achieved successful pregnancies and live births. Therefore, we conclude that ΔNp63 is a crucial therapeutic target for AS. This novel treatment significantly improves the outcome for the patients with severe AS.

Keywords: Asherman’s syndrome; bone marrow stem cell based therapy; endometrial regeneration; quiescence; ΔNp63.

MeSH terms

  • Bone Marrow Cells / metabolism*
  • Cell Transplantation*
  • Collagen / metabolism*
  • Down-Regulation*
  • Endometrium / pathology*
  • Female
  • Gynatresia / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Tissue Scaffolds*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • TP63 protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • Collagen