Infertility in female mice lacking the receptor for interleukin 11 is due to a defective uterine response to implantation

During early pregnancy, in response to the implanting embryo, the surrounding uterine stroma undergoes a dramatic transformation into a specialized tissue known as the decidua. The decidua encapsulates the developing embryo, facilitating nutrient transfer and limiting trophoblast invasion. Here we s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNature medicine Vol. 4; no. 3; p. 303
Main Authors Robb, L, Li, R, Hartley, L, Nandurkar, H H, Koentgen, F, Begley, C G
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.03.1998
Subjects
Animals
Decidua - pathology
Decidua - physiology
Embryo Implantation - physiology
Female
Gene Expression
Infertility, Female - genetics
Interleukin-11 - biosynthesis
Interleukin-11 Receptor alpha Subunit
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Mutant Strains
Pregnancy
Receptors, Interleukin - deficiency
Receptors, Interleukin - genetics
Receptors, Interleukin-11
Uterus - pathology
Uterus - physiology
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Summary:During early pregnancy, in response to the implanting embryo, the surrounding uterine stroma undergoes a dramatic transformation into a specialized tissue known as the decidua. The decidua encapsulates the developing embryo, facilitating nutrient transfer and limiting trophoblast invasion. Here we show that female mice with a null mutation of the interleukin-11 receptor alpha chain are infertile because of defective decidualization. A temporal analysis revealed IL-11 expression is maximal in the normal pregnant uterus at the time of decidualization, and in situ hybridization studies showed expression of the IL-11 and the IL-11 receptor alpha chain in the developing decidual cells. These observations reveal a previously unrecognized critical role for IL-11 signaling in female reproduction.
ISSN:1078-8956
1546-170X
DOI:10.1038/nm0398-303