Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component (PGRMC) 1: Study of its expression, regulation and potential functions in the human endometrium and in endometriosis

Endometriosis is an inflammatory gynecological pathology that affects approximately 10% of women worldwide and can cause subfertility. In 30% of patients, the endometriotic tissue is resistant to progestin treatment. The objective of my thesis was to characterize and define the potential role of the protein Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 (PGRMC1), described as a "fertility stabilizer", in the human endometrium and endometriosis. A spatiotemporal regulation of PGRMC1 was identified with a predominant expression on the surface of the proliferative endometrium and potentially reduced in endometriosis. My results (i) discredit the AG-205 inhibitor, a major tool in the study of PGRMC1, (ii) demonstrate the repressive activity of PGRMC1 towards MMP-3 and (iii) suggest that it regulates cell proliferation during the menstrual cycle. PGRMC1 could thus control endometrial tissue remodeling, which is crucial for fertility.
(BIFA - Sciences biomédicales et pharmaceutiques) -- UCL, 2022