Regulation by Ovarian Hormones of Alpha 1,3-Fucosyltransferase Gene (FUT9) Expression in Human Endometrium

(Department of
Biochemistry, Institute of Glycobiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian
116027, China;
¹Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated
Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116027, China ）

Abstract

Recently
it was found that &agr;1,3-fucosyltransferase (FUT9) was an es sential enzyme
involved in the synthesis of Le^X oligosaccharide. In this artic
le, the expression of FUT9 gene at different hormonal levels and the
regulat ing mechanism of Le^X synthesis in human endometrium were
investigated by using RT-PCR Immuno histochemistry staining and Western blotting.
FUT9 mRNA was detected with human endometrium, and the levels of mRNA
in secretory endometrium and in proliferative endometriu m from patients who
had taken mifepristone before operation, were higher than tha t of proliferative
endometrium (P<0.01). Le^X antigen was mainly located on
the su rface of epithelium. The floating level of Le^X antigen expression
was similar to that of FUT9 gene. There were three (33 kD, 35 kD and
85 kD) LeX carryi ng proteins expressed in human endometrium, mifepristone
treatment made 35 kD band disappear. The results indicate that FUT9
gene is obviously expressed in human endometrium and can be upregulated by
progesterone, and ovary hormones regulate the expression of Le^X
at the level of transcription.