Effects of galectin-3 inhibition on endometrial cell cycle and adhesion

Galectin-3(gal-3)and its ligands have been implicated in cell transformation and cancer metastasis.Gal-3 protein has been found in uterine epithelial cells adjacent to implanting blastocysts in different cell types.In order to investigate the role of gal-3 in the establishment of human endometrial receptivity,the expression of gal-3 in human endometrial cell line RL95-2 was silenced by RNA inter-ference technology using gal-3 specific small RNA.The expression of gal-3 was detected by the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis.After the suppression of gal-3,cell cycle changes and the expres-sion of integrin b1 were detected by flow cytometry.The adhesive ability of RL95-2 cells was analyzed by the adhesion test.Gal-3 siRNA transfection efficiency reached 70%–90%.The expression of gal-3 mRNA and protein in RL95-2 cells was strongly inhibited by 70%–90%after RNA interference.Inhibition of gal-3 expression decreased S-phase but increased G1 phase cells.Integrin b1 expression was down-regulated,and the adhesive ability of RL95-2 cells to fibronectin(FN)was significantly reduced.Gal-3 may be involved in the establishment of endometrial receptivity by regulating the proliferation and adhesion of endometrial cells.The influence on adhesion may be related with the integrin modulation.