Leukemia Inhibitory Factor and Human Embryo Implantation

The success of embryonic implantation relies on an ideal cross-talk between the embryo and the receptive endometrium. This article focuses on the role of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and its receptors in human embryo implantation. LIF is a secreted glycoprotein first described as a factor that induced the differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemic M1 cells into macrophages and later proposed as a marker of the embryo implantation process. An important role for LIF in implantation was shown on LIF knockout mice, when embryo implantation did not occur. In endometrium of healthy women, LIF and LIF mRNA are expressed throughout the menstrual cycle with a striking increase in the midsecretory phase, coinciding with a supposed window of implantation. Correlation in the expression of LIF and some other markers of implantation has been reported. LIF acts on cells by binding to the LIF receptor (LIFR) and gp130. Human blastocysts express mRNAs for LIFR and gp130, participating actively in establishing contact with the endometrium. In the endometrium, LIFR and gp130 are expressed in the endometrial epithelium throughout the cycle with strong increase in the midsecretory phase. Endometrium of infertile women produces significantly less LIF during the period of receptivity. The role of LIF gene mutations in unexplained infertility and implantation failures in IVF patients is not clear yet. Infertile patients showed reduced secretion of LIFR and gp130 compared with fertile controls during the implantation window. Recombinant human LIF might help to improve the implantation rate in women with unexplained infertility.