Epigenetic treatment in assisted human embryo implantation

Recent advances in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have resulted in higher fertilization rates for infertile couples. However, successful pregnancy is prevented by failure of the embryo to implant in the endometrium. Human embryo implantation involves apposition and adhesion, followed by penetration through the endometrial epithelial layer and invasion of the embryo into the endometrial stroma. Human implantation is a multi-step event requiring the orchestrated regulation of endometrial cells, involving cell proliferation, differentiation, motility, and adhesion. Reversible histone acetylation affects functional protein expression by regulating gene transcription. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) can induce expression of specific proteins, thereby affecting cell function. At present, HDACIs are used in anticancer therapy to induce cancer cell apoptosis. In this review, we discuss the potential of HDACIs for supportive therapy of infertility caused by endometrial dysfunction, and introduce recent reports that HDACIs target and affect various cell functions.