Hossein Nikzad - Anatomical Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
Hamed Haddad Kashani - Anatomical Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
Maryam Kabir-Salmani - Department of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran
Yoshihiro Akimoto - Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kyorin University, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan

Background: The up-regulation of galectin-3, galectin-9, and galectin-15 expression in the luminal and glandular epithelium was reported in preparation ofthe endometrium for embryo implantation at the midlutheal phase. However, no data was available regarding the expression and the distribution pattern of galectin-8 inthe human endometrium during a regular menstrual cycle. Objective: The current study designed to investigate the expression and thedistribution pattern of galectin-8, a beta-galactoside-binding lectin in the human endometrium during both proliferative and luteal phases of a regular menstrualcycle. Materials and Methods: Endometrial biopsies were obtained from the anterior wall of the uterine cavity of 16 women (proliferative phase: n=4, lutheal phase: n=12).All female patients with mean age of 37.5 years were fertile (range 25-45). Each biopsy was divided into three pieces; one piece was fixed in formaldehyde for light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The second portion fixed in glutaraldehydefor scanning electron microscopy and the third portion was prepared for western blot analysis. Results: Data of immunoblotting revealed a molecular weight of 34 kD band withhigh intensity in the lutheal phase samples. The immunohistochemistry stainingdemonstrated that galectin-8 expressed at a very low concentration during the proliferative phase, but showed a high expression throughout the lutheal phase. Theexpression of galectin-8 observed in luminal surface epithelium, glandular epithelium and stroma. Conclusion: The up-regulation of the expression of galectin-8 during lutheal phasemay suggest galectin-8 as one of the potential molecular marker of the endometrial receptivity. These data propose that galectin-8 may play an important role during the initial events of human embryo implantation

Endometrium, Galectin-8, Human, Western blot analysis, Immunohistochemistry