The effect of mesenchymal stem cell on implantation

With the implantation of embryo in uterus, a series of morphological and structural changes occurs in endometrium. Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP) enzymes are responsible for the rearrangement of extracellular matrix which are known to be effective on the implantation. In this study we aimed to show the effect of mesenchymal stem cell application on implantation site through the members of metalloproteinase enzyme family members MMP- 2, MMP- 9 and an extracellular matrix protein fibronectin in rats. For this purpose 16 adult female "Wistar Albino" rats are divided in two groups in the 10th day of pregnancy, during the study experiment group animals received bone marrow derived stem cells intravenously while control animals received only Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) as blind. Same procedure is repeated in the 21. day of the pregnancy. Implantation sites and placenta samples are harvested and fibronectin, MMP- 9 and MMP- 2 levels are detected by immunohistochemisty. On the 10th day of the pregnancy in the decidual structure which is formed by the differentiation of the endometrial stroma cells, fibronectin is found to be activated in both groups in the similar localizations without any significant difference. In the experiment group immunoreactivity of trofoblastic giant cells are decreased while immunoreactivity of decidua cells, secretion epithelial tissues and vein walls are appeared to be similar. MMP- 9 reactivity in decidua cells found to be higher in experiment group compared to the control. On the 21th day of pregnancy placenta appeared to be mature and apart from the increased trofoblast proliferation fibronectin, MMP- 2 and MMP- 9 levels did not differ from the 10th day. As a result it is shown that mesenchymal stem cells application on the 10th day of pregnancy increases MMP- 9 activity slightly, placental development appeared to be normal while difference in MMP- 9, MMP- 2 and fibronectin immunoreactivity are not significant in both groups.