Australian scientists from the University of Melbourne have discovered an unknown property of a molecule that could potentially help treat unexplained infertility. The study was published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Experts have determined that the concentration of the miR-124-3p molecule is increased in the lining of the uterus (endometrium) in women who cannot become pregnant for unknown reasons.
Researchers believe that miR-124-3p may make the endometrium unsuitable for embryo attachment.
Before the embryo can implant, the endometrium undergoes changes to become receptive to the embryo during a short time window in the menstrual cycle.
To confirm their hypothesis, the team developed a new way to manipulate the molecule in the uterine lining of mice. When artificially boosted specifically and only at the time when the embryos were supposed to implant, the embryos failed to attach firmly and implant.
The study was also carried out on human cells, where reducing levels of the molecule in endometrial cells in people with fertility problems made it easier for embryos to implant. This means that targeting miR-124-3p could be a new way to both diagnose and treat uterine-related infertility.
“The study highlights the potential of using miR-124-3p as a new way to diagnose and treat uterine-related infertility, offering a new direction in this field. It may serve as a biomarker for identifying women with endometrial infertility,” the authors of the article noted.
