Divergent endometrial inflammatory cytokine expression at peri-implantation period and after the stimulation by copper intrauterine device

Endometrial inflammation has contradictory effects. The one occurring at peri-implantation period is favourable for embryo implantation, whereas the other occurring after the stimulation by copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD) prevents from embryo implantation. In this study, 8 week female ICR mice were used to investigate the endometrial inflammation, in which they were at proestrus stage (Group 1), at peri-implantation period (Group 2), and had a copper wire implanted into right uterine horn (Group 3). Cytokine array revealed that two cytokines were highly expressed in Group 2 and Group 3 as compared with Group 1, and seven cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), had selectively strong expression in Group 3. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated prominent TNF-alpha staining on the endometrium after Cu-IUD stimulation, and in vitro culture of human endometrial glandular cells with Cu induced TNF-alpha secretion. The increased TNF-alpha concentration enhanced in vitro THP-1 cells chemotaxis, and reduced embryo implantation rates. These results suggest that inflammatory cytokine profiles of endometrium are different between those at peri-implantation period and after Cu-IUD stimulation, and TNF-alpha is the one with selectively strong expression in the latter. It might account for the contradictory biological effects of endometrial inflammation.