HomeScience and ResearchScientific Research'Biological Processes that Might Be Associated with Pregnancy Loss' - New Research

‘Biological Processes that Might Be Associated with Pregnancy Loss’ – New Research

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Pregnancy loss is a prevalent issue, with around 10-20% of pregnancies confirmed by testing resulting in a miscarriage before the 13th week of gestational age. The incidence may rise to as much as 31-50% if accounting for individuals who miscarry before realizing they are pregnant.

One of the main goals of this study was to find the main causes of miscarriage and understand biological processes that may be associated with pregnancy loss.

Specifically, the researchers aimed to comprehend the function of Beclin-1 in endometrial reprogramming, which is crucial for the successful establishment of pregnancy.

The mucous membrane lining the uterus, also known as the endometrium, undergoes periodic remodeling throughout a woman’s reproductive years. This cyclical process involves thickening of the endometrium during the menstrual cycle, which prepares it for potential embryo implantation. In the absence of fertilization, the endometrium is shed during menstruation.

To advance the understanding of uterine remodeling and its relevance to fertility-associated gynecological conditions, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions are exploring lesser-known factors involved in this process.

According to a recent publication in the journal Developmental Cell, the autophagy protein Beclin-1 is responsible for governing endometrial remodeling and facilitating the establishment of pregnancy in animal models by regulating autophagy, which is a natural process that breaks down and recycles cellular components.

“One of our main goals is to understand biological processes that might be associated with pregnancy loss,” adds corresponding author Dr. Rama Kommagani.

In this work, they “looked to understand the role Beclin-1 plays in endometrial reprogramming for the successful establishment of pregnancy.”

The initial phase of this investigation uncovered that Beclin-1 plays a critical role in establishing pregnancy in mouse models. The researchers observed that the removal of Beclin-1 from uterine cells resulted in underdeveloped uteri and infertility due to diminished uterine receptivity and failed embryo implantation.

Further analysis revealed that Beclin-1 is indispensable for endometrial programming of stem cells, which is vital for the development of uterine glands and other structures required for uterine maturation.

They “also studied the mechanism by which Beclin-1 regulates uterine development,” Kommagani adds. “

Beclin-1 is recognized for its regulation of two separate natural processes: autophagy and apoptosis. These processes are essential for maintaining normal functions in organisms.

“We investigated whether one of these two processes or both were involved.”

The research team discovered that deactivating apoptosis in the presence of Beclin-1 had no effect on the usual remodeling of the uterus and gland development. Notably, they observed that restoring solely Beclin-1-driven autophagy, and not apoptosis, promoted regular uterine remodeling.

“After birth, the uterus goes through a multistep process of development that is required for successful pregnancies in the future. Any deficiencies along this process can have a ripple effect on the ability to conceive and for the pregnancy to succeed,” as explained by Kommagani. “We discovered that one of the steps involves Beclin-1-mediated autophagy, which acts as a molecular switch that governs uterine reprograming by maintaining the endometrial progenitor stem cells that support uterine remodeling.”

The results of this study have motivated the researchers to investigate the feasibility of developing practical applications in the areas of contraceptives and infertility.

Source: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.03.013

Image Credit: Getty

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