Glycodelin in obstetric and gynecological practice: Past, present and future

The article presents a review of the literature devoted to one of the main proteins of the human reproductive system — glycodelin. The questions of glycodelin discovery, places of synthesis, different names of protein, its functions are covered. Depending on the place of origin, the same protein scaffold is glycosylated differently, giving isoforms of glycodelins with different biological action. Glycodelin-A (endometrium) and-F (follicular fluid) inhibit the binding of sperm and zona pellucida, thus exhibiting contraceptive properties. Glycodelin-C (Cumulus), in contrast, stimulates sperm binding to zona pellucida. Glycodelin S seminal vesicles has no contraceptive effect, it affects the stability of the sperm membrane, controls capacitation. Expressed immunosuppressive activity of glycodelin a promotes successful implantation and placentation, glycodelin S-the formation of antispermal immunity. The role of glycodelin in human reproductive function, pathogenesis of reproductive losses (miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, merntvorozhdaemost), evaluation of the functional state of the ovaries, fallopian tubes and endometrium, maternal placenta, sperm fertility. The review reflects both fundamental scientific data and clinical studies of glycodelin content in menstrual blood, peripheral venous blood in women and sperm fluid in men, which allowed to develop methods of diagnosis and prediction of reproductive health and reproductive function disorders in a married couple. Further prospects of glycodelin research in science and practice are determined. © 2020, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved.