Uterine luminal epithelium-specific proline-rich acidic protein 1 (PRAP1) as a marker for successful embryo implantation

Proline-rich acidic protein 1 mRNA is highly expressed in the uterine luminal epithelium (LE) of day 0.5 mouse uterus, disappears in the preimplantation day 3.5 uterus, and reappears abundantly in the LE after embryo implantation has occurred or upon artificial decidualization. In ovariectomized uterus, Prap1 is down-regulated by P, transiently down-regulated by E2 treatment for 6 hours, but dramatically induced by E2 treatment for 3 days.