Ultrastructural cilia defects in multi-ciliated uterine glandular epithelial cells from women with reproductive failure.

In brief: The causes of subfertility and recurrent pregnancy loss are often unclear. This study shows that endometrial gland cilia from women with subfertility have ultrastructural defects.

Abstract: Endometrial glands secrete products into the endometrium and are necessary for embryo implantation and successful pregnancy. However, structural and functional abnormalities in endometrial gland cilia from women with reproductive failure remain poorly understood. This was a cross-sectional study where endometrial biopsies were collected at days 19-23 of the menstrual cycle from women with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (n = 15), unexplained subfertility (n = 11) or from egg donor control participants (n = 10). Endometrial gland cilia ultrastructure was imaged by transmission electron microscopy and cilia defects assessed by an electron-microscopist from a national primary ciliary dyskinesia diagnostic centre. Endometrial glands were isolated, and the cilia beat frequency recorded by high speed video. Subfertile women have proportionately lower ultrastructurally normal cilia (P < 0.05); higher frequency of absent dynamin arms (P < 0.01) or inner arm defects (P < 0.01) and lower cilia beat frequency (P < 0.05). The mechanisms underlying these obversions have yet to be determined. Recent studies have identified cilia related gene expression changes associated with reproductive failure and this study adds to the growing body of literature revealing structural and functional changes. The observation that cilia defects occurred at a higher frequency in endometrial glands of subfertile women raises the question of its mechanistic role in implantation.