Fig. 2

miR-124-3p-AAV delivery results in embryo implantation failure. a Delivery of miR-124-3p to mouse uteri of control and miR-124-3p-AAV groups was confirmed via real-time PCR analysis on days 0 and 5 of pregnancy. Data represent the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. Different superscripts indicate significance at p < 0.05 (one-way ANOVA with Duncan’s test). b Representative images showing uterus features of control and miR-124-3p-AAV groups crossed with wild-type males on day 5 of pregnancy. c, d Maternal uterine size and weight in the control and miR-124-3p-AAV groups on day 5 of pregnancy. Size was determined by measuring the length and diameter of the unilateral uterus (mm). Error bars represent the mean ± SD in replicates: ∗  ∗ p < 0.01 (Student’s t-test). e, f Number of ovulated eggs and average litter size in the control and miR-124-3p-AAV groups. Error bars represent the mean ± SD in replicates: ∗  ∗ p < 0.01 (Student’s t-test). g Electron microscopy (EM) analysis of mouse uterine epithelial surface showing impaired epithelial membrane transformation in the miR-124-3p-AAV delivery group. h, i Values within bars indicate the number of mice with implantation sites (ISs) per total number of tested mice. Blue arrow indicates the IS. A large proportion of mice in the miR-124-3p-AAV delivery group exhibited implantation failure, and embryos were easily recovered upon flushing the uterine horn on day 5 of pregnancy, without any signs of attachment. Bar charts show the embryo development rate in the miR-124-3p-AAV group on day 5 of pregnancy in vivo