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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on March 8, 2007
Human Reproduction 2007 22(5):1224-1230; doi:10.1093/humrep/dem022
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Localization and variable expression of G{alpha}i2 in human endometrium and Fallopian tubes

Kati S. Mönkkönen1,3, Reza Aflatoonian3, Kai-Fai Lee4, William S.B. Yeung4, Sai-Wah Tsao5, Jarmo T. Laitinen2, Elizabeth M. Tuckerman6, T.C. Li6 and Alireza Fazeli3,7

1 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2 Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Physiology, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland 3 Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK 4 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 5 Department of Anatomy, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong 6 Biomedical Research Unit, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK

7 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, The University of Sheffield, Level 4, The Jessop Wing, Tree Root Walk, Sheffield S10 2SF, UK. Tel.: +44 114 226 8195; Fax: +44 114 226 1074; E-mail: a.fazeli{at}sheffield.ac.uk

BACKGROUND: Heterotrimeric G proteins take part in membrane-mediated cell signalling and have a role in hormonal regulation. This study clarifies the expression and localization of the G protein subunit G{alpha}i2 in the human endometrium and Fallopian tube and changes in G{alpha}i2 expression in human endometrium during the menstrual cycle.

METHODS: The expression of G{alpha}i2 was identified by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and localization confirmed by immunostaining. Cyclic changes in G{alpha}i2 expression during the menstrual cycle were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR.

RESULTS: We found G{alpha}i2 to be expressed in human endometrium, Fallopian tube tissue and in primary cultures of Fallopian tube epithelial cells. Our studies revealed enriched localization of G{alpha}i2 in Fallopian tube cilia and in endometrial glands. We showed that G{alpha}i2 expression in human endometrium changes significantly during the menstrual cycle, with a higher level in the secretory versus proliferative and menstrual phases (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: G{alpha}i2 is specifically localized in human Fallopian tube epithelial cells, particularly in the cilia, and is likely to have a cilia-specific role in reproduction. Significantly variable expression of G{alpha}i2 during the menstrual cycle suggests G{alpha}i2 might be under hormonal regulation in the female reproductive tract in vivo.

Key words: cilia/endometrium/fallopian tube/G protein/menstrual cycle

Submitted on October 3, 2006; resubmitted on January 5, 2007; accepted on January 16, 2007.


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K. S. Monkkonen, R. Aflatoonian, K.-F. Lee, W. S.B. Yeung, S.-W. Tsao, J. T. Laitinen, and A. Fazeli
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