Increased copy number of syncytin-1 in the trophectoderm is associated with implantation of the blastocyst

BACKGROUND: A key step in embryo implantation is the adhesion to and invasion of the endometrium by the blastocyst trophectoderm. The envelope proteins of HERV-W and -FRD (human endogenous retrovirus-W and -FRD), syncytin-1 and syncytin-2, are mainly distributed in the placenta, and play important roles in the development of the placenta. The placenta originates from the trophectoderm of the blastocyst. It is unclear whether the envelope proteins of HERV-W and -FRD have an effect on the development of the trophectoderm and whether they have any association with the implantation of the blastocyst. METHODS: The whole-genome amplification products of the human blastocyst trophectoderm were used to measure the copy number of syncytin-1 and syncytin-2 using real time qPCR. In addition, clinical data associated with the outcome of pregnancies was collected, and included age, body mass index (BMI), basic follicle stimulating hormone(bFSH), rate of primary infertility and oligo-astheno-teratospermia, the thickness of the endometrium on the day of endometrial transformation, the levels of estrogen and progestin on the transfer day, the days and the morphological scores of the blastocysts. The expression of mRNA and the copy numbers of syncytin-1 and syncytin-2 in H1 stem cells, and in differentiated H1 cells, induced by BMP4, were measured using real time qPCR. RESULTS: The relative copy number of syncytin-1 in the pregnant group (median: 424%, quartile: 232%–463%, p < 0.05) was significantly higher than in the non-pregnant group (median: 100%, quartile: 81%–163%). There was a correlation (r(s) = 0.681, p < 0.001) between the copy number of syncytin-1 and blastocyst implantation after embryo transfer. As the stem cells differentiated, the expression of NANOG mRNA decreased, and the expression of caudal type homeobox 2(CDX2) and β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) mRNAs increased. Compared to the undifferentiated cells, the relative expression of the syncytin-1 mRNA was 1.63 (quartile: 0.59–6.37, p > 0.05), 3.36 (quartile: 0.85–14.80, p > 0.05), 10.85 (quartile: 3.39–24.46, p < 0.05) and 67.81 (quartile: 54.07–85.48, p < 0.05) on day 1, 3, 5 and 7, respectively, after the differentiation. The relative expression of syncytin-2 was 5.34 (quartile: 4.50–10.30), 7.90 (quartile: 2.46–14.01), 57.44 (quartile: 38.35–103.87) and 344.76 (quartile: 267.72–440.10) on day 1, 3, 5 and 7, respectively, after the differentiation (p < 0.05). The copy number of syncytin-1 increased significantly during differentiation. CONCLUSION: Preceding the transfer of frozen embryos, the increased copy number of syncytin-1 in the blastocyst trophectoderm was associated with good outcomes of pregnancies.