Fine-tuned adaptation of embryo-endometrium pairs at implantation revealed by gene regulatory networks

Abstract

Interactions between embryo and endometrium at implantation are critical for the progression and the issue of pregnancy. These reciprocal actions involve exchange of paracrine signals that govern implantation and placentation. However, it remains unknown how these interactions between the conceptus and the endometrium are coordinated at the level of an individual pregnancy. Under the hypothesis that gene expression of endometrium is dependent on gene expression of extraembryonic tissues, we performed an integrative analysis of transcriptome profiles of paired conceptuses and endometria obtained from pregnancies initiated by artificial insemination. We quantified strong dependence (|r|>0.95, eFDR<0.01) in transcript abundance of genes expressed in the extraembryonic tissues and genes expressed in the endometrium. The profiles of connectivity revealed distinct co-expression patterns of extraembryonic tissues with caruncular and intercaruncular areas of the endometrium. Notably, a subset of highly co-expressed genes between conceptus (n=229) and caruncular areas of the endometrium (n=218, r>0.9999, eFDR<0.001) revealed a blueprint of gene expression specific to each pregnancy. Functional analyses of genes co-expressed between conceptus and endometrium revealed significantly enriched functional modules with critical contribution for implantation and placentation, including \"in utero embryonic development\", \"placenta development\" and \"regulation of transcription\". Functional modules were remarkably specific to caruncular or intercaruncular areas of the endometrium. The quantitative and functional association between genes expressed in conceptus and endometrium emphasize a coordinated communication between these two entities in mammals. To our knowledge, we provide first evidence that implantation in mammalian pregnancy relies on the ability of the conceptus and the endometrium to develop a fine-tuned adaptive response characteristic of each pregnancy.