Protein glycosylation: bridging maternal–fetal crosstalk during embryo implantation

Infertility is a challenging health problem that affects 8-15% of couples worldwide. Establishing pregnancy requires successful embryo implantation, but about 85% of unsuccessful pregnancies are due to embryo implantation failure or loss soon after. Factors crucial for successful implantation include invasive blastocysts, receptive endometrium, invasion of trophoblast cells, and regulation of immune tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface. Maternal-fetal crosstalk, which relies heavily on protein-protein interactions, is a critical factor in implantation that involves multiple cellular communication and molecular pathways. Glycosylation, a protein modification process, is closely related to cell growth, adhesion, transport, signal transduction, and recognition. Protein glycosylation plays a crucial role in maternal-fetal crosstalk and can be divided into N-glycosylation and O-glycosylation, which are often terminated by sialylation or fucosylation. This review article examines the role of protein glycosylation in maternal-fetal crosstalk based on two transcriptome datasets from the GEO database (GSE139087 and GSE113790) and existing research, particularly in the context of the mechanism of protein glycosylation and embryo implantation. Dysregulation of protein glycosylation can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as missed abortion and recurrent spontaneous abortion, underscoring the importance of a thorough understanding of protein glycosylation in the diagnosis and treatment of female reproductive disorders. This knowledge could have significant clinical implications, leading to the development of more effective diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for these conditions.