# BIOCHEMISTRY OF UTERINE HEPARAN SULFATE RECEPTORS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · 1994 · $130,401

## Abstract

Embryo implantation into the uterine wall is a highly regulated and vital
event of early mammalian
development.  Following hatching from the zona pellucida, the
trophectodermal cells surrounding the embryo develop to an attachment
competent state.  Attachment competent embryos are capable of attaching to
and invading a wide variety of cell and tissue types (1-3).  The uterus
appears to be unique in the sense that it is the only known tissue capable
of regulating the invasive potential of the trophoblast.  Under most
conditions, the uterus is "non-receptive" and will not allow embryos to
attach.  Conversion to a receptive uterine state is transient and normally
coordinated with the development of the embryo by the actions of estrogen
and progesterone (4).  The task of regulating the uterine receptivity is
relegated to the cells lining the uterine lumen, the uterine epithelial
cells (UEC).  In this regard, a number of morphological studies indicate
that the composition of cell surface polysaccharides alters dramatically
on both trophectodermal and UEC cell surfaces at the time of embryo
attachment.  These observations are consistent with an important role for
cell surface glycoconjugates in embryo-UEC interactions.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are glycoconjugates distributed on
cell surfaces and in extracellular matrices of many cell and tissue types
(6-8).  The constituent polysaccharides of HSPGs appear to participate in
or modulate a variety of biological processes including anticoagulation,
growth factor binding, regulation of cell proliferation and metabolism and
cell adhesion (6-8).  With regard to embryo implantation, work in the
principal investigator's lab indicates that HSPGs on the embryo cell
surface and corresponding HS-binding proteins (HSBPs) of the cell surface
of UEC participate in cell adhesion processes occurring in between these
cell types in mouse and human model systems.  Our hypothesis is that
appropriate expression of HS structures and the corresponding HSBPs is
critical for trophoblast-UEC interactions.  This proposal will employ
biochemical, molecular biological and immunochemical approaches to stud),
HS-dependent interactions in the initial phase of embryo-UEC binding in
vitro and in vivo in mouse and human models.  Collectively, these studies
will address the molecular basis of embryo-uterine interactions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2199450
- **Project number:** 5R01HD025235-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR
- **SAM.gov UEI:** S3GMKS8ELA16
- **Principal Investigator:** DANIEL D. CARSON
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1994
- **Award amount:** $130,401
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1988-12-01 → 1997-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2199450

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2199450, BIOCHEMISTRY OF UTERINE HEPARAN SULFATE RECEPTORS (5R01HD025235-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2199450. Licensed CC0.

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