Abstract:Objective: To investigate the effect of human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs) transplantation on endometrium improvement and matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a rat model of uterine scar. Methods: The uterine scar model of rats was established and randomly divided into model group and transplantation group, with 18 rats in each group. The other 18 rats were selected as sham operation group. The rats in the transplantation group were injected with hAECs in the scar of the uterus, and the rats in the model group and the sham operation group were only given the same amount of PBS. After 4 weeks, the uterine tissues of 8 rats in each group were collected and HE staining was used to observe the histomorphological changes, and the endometrial thickness and the number of glands were measured. Masson staining was used to observe endometrial fibrosis. Endometrial growth and receptivity were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining for cytokeratin and integrin β3, respectively. The mRNA expression levels of MMP-8 and VEGFA in endometrial tissues were detected by RT-qPCR. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of MMP-8 and VEGFA. After 8 weeks, the remaining 10 rats in each group were selected for gestational ability determination. Results: Compared with the sham-operation group, the endometrial thickness, the number of glands, the IOD value of keratin and integrin β3, the mRNA and protein relative expression levels of MMP-8 and VEGFA, the pregnancy rate and the number of uterine embryos in the model group and the transplantation group were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the endometrial thickness, the number of glands, the IOD value of keratin and integrin β3, the mRNA and protein relative expression levels of MMP-8 and VEGFA, the pregnancy rate and the number of uterine embryos were significantly increased in the transplantation group (P<0.05). In addition, hAECs transplantation could improve the pathological morphology of endometrial tissue in rats with uterine scar. Reduce the degree of endometrial fibrosis. Conclusion: hAECs transplantation could improve endometrial injury, reduce scar formation, improve endometrial receptivity, and enhance pregnancy function in model rats, which may be related to the promotion of MMP-8 and VEGFA expression.