Platelet-derived vesicles restore fertility in endometrial injury by modulating the endometrial immune niche in mice
Uterine infertility is a substantial global health challenge, imposing profound physical and emotional burdens on affected individuals, with endometrial injury being a key contributing factor. In this study, we report that platelet-derived extracellular vesicles (PEVs) exhibit remarkable regenerative potential, facilitating effective endometrial repair and improving pregnancy outcomes in both preclinical and preliminary clinical settings. Leveraging their nanoscale size and biological functionality, PEVs accumulate effectively at inflammation sites within the injured endometrium following intrauterine perfusion. Mechanistic studies showed that PEVs activate the AMPK-ULK1 pathway in macrophages, enhancing mitophagy to modulate their phenotype and reduce inflammatory secretion. This fostered an immunomodulatory microenvironment conducive to endometrial regeneration. We first provide preliminary evidence from a small-scale clinical trial on the potential of PEVs for treating infertility. Our findings, which show improved pregnancy outcomes in patients with endometrial injury, support the feasibility of this approach and justify larger studies. These findings provide critical insights into the mechanisms of PEV-driven regeneration and pave the way for the development of PEV-based therapies for endometrial repair and infertility treatment.
Authors
- Yi Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4091-8532)
- Shuting Gu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4214-5545)
- Bingbing Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9269-4414)
- Jie Ni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8844-6132)
- Ziyang Yu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9237-6552)
- Haitao Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1639-4089)
- Xiaolin Shi
- Dantong Dong
- Chenmeng Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2979-4091)
- Fang Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2119-5556)
- Chao Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8054-3472)
- Heng Wang
- Ling Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8316-1170)
- Bo Tian (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3627-1999)
- Yilin Zhang
- Dongxiao Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8494-7626)
Institutions
- Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MW)
- Suzhou Polytechnic Institute of Agriculture (CN)
- Soochow University (CN)
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University (CN)
- Nanjing Medical University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Science Advances
- Published
- 2026-05-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aed6707
- Primary Topic
- Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions
- Higher Education Discipline Innovation Project
- National Key Research and Development Program of China
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University