Merli Saare

ORCID: 0000-0003-0221-2093 · 53 papers in corpus
observational 2026
Human reproduction open ·doi:10.1093/hropen/hoag001

STUDY QUESTION: Does the analysis of endometrial microbes provide the same information when using DNA or RNA sequencing-based techniques? SUMMARY ANSWER: DNA vs RNA-based microbial analysis techniques demonstrated significant microbial com…

observational 2026
Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica ·doi:10.1111/aogs.70344

INTRODUCTION: Cesarean section (CS) is the most common gynecological surgery globally, with rates increasing in many developed countries. In Estonia, the CS rate rose from 6.4% in 1992 to 20.6% in 2021. While CS can be lifesaving when medic…

other 2026
BMC genomics ·doi:10.1186/s12864-026-12851-3

The human endometrium undergoes dynamic cyclical remodeling across the menstrual cycle to establish receptivity for embryo implantation. While microRNAs are established regulators of endometrial function and embryo–maternal communication, t…

meta-analysis 2025
Human Reproduction ·doi:10.1093/humrep/deaf025

STUDY QUESTION: Can a large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis identify genomic risk loci and likely involved genes for female genital tract (FGT) polyps, provide insights into the biological mechanism underlying their…

observational 2025
Human reproduction open ·doi:10.1093/hropen/hoaf010

STUDY QUESTION: Does the molecular composition of uterine fluid extracellular vesicles (UF-EVs) reflect endometrial tissue changes across the menstrual cycle? SUMMARY ANSWER: Concordance between endometrial tissue and UF-EVs exists on miRN…

case-report 2025
Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E ·doi:10.1186/s12958-024-01330-7

BACKGROUND: A didelphic uterus represents a unique and infrequent congenital condition in which a woman possesses two distinct uteri, each with its own cervix. This anomaly arises due to partial or incomplete merging of the Müllerian ducts …

lab-animal 2024
Genes ·doi:10.3390/genes15081086

Endometriosis is a chronic hormone-dependent disease characterized by the spread of endometrial cells outside the uterus, which form endometriotic lesions and disrupt the functions of the affected organs. The etiopathogenesis of endometrios…

other 2024
International journal of molecular sciences ·doi:10.3390/ijms25105320

The endometrium, the inner mucosal lining of the uterus, undergoes complex molecular and cellular changes across the menstrual cycle in preparation for embryo implantation. Transcriptome-wide analyses have mainly been utilized to study endo…

2024
·doi:10.1101/2024.02.27.580606

Abstract Current therapeutics of endometriosis are limited to hormonal action on endometriotic lesions to disrupt their growth. Based on the recent findings of the high utilization of glycolysis over oxidative metabolism (Warburg-like effec…

other 2024
Communications biology ·doi:10.1038/s42003-024-06713-5

Current therapeutics of endometriosis focus on hormonal disruption of endometriotic lesions (ectopic endometrium, EcE). Recent findings show higher glycolysis utilization in EcE, suggesting non-hormonal strategy for disease treatment that a…

review 2023
Human Reproduction Update ·doi:10.1093/humupd/dmad019

BACKGROUND: Modern lifestyle has led to an increase in the age at conception. Advanced age is one of the critical risk factors for female-related infertility. It is well known that maternal age positively correlates with the deterioration o…

other 2023
Scientific reports ·doi:10.1038/s41598-023-37421-5

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory gynaecological disease characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. There are currently no definitive non-invasive diagnostic tools. Glycosylation is the most common p…

diagnostic-accuracy 2023
Scientific reports ·doi:10.1038/s41598-023-40991-z

Expressional profiling of the endometrium enables the personalised timing of the window of implantation (WOI). This study presents and evaluates a novel analytical pipeline based on a TAC-seq (Targeted Allele Counting by sequencing) method …

other 2023
Frontiers in reproductive health ·doi:10.3389/frph.2023.1224919

INTRODUCTION: The expression of genes in female reproductive organs is influenced by the cyclic changes in hormone levels during the menstrual cycle. While the molecular changes in the endometrium that facilitate embryo implantation have be…

meta-analysis 2023
Nature genetics ·doi:10.1038/s41588-023-01323-z

Endometriosis is a common condition associated with debilitating pelvic pain and infertility. A genome-wide association study meta-analysis, including 60,674 cases and 701,926 controls of European and East Asian descent, identified 42 genom…

observational 2022
Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica ·doi:10.1111/aogs.14297

INTRODUCTION: The endometrial microbiota has been linked to several gynecological disorders, including infertility. It has been shown that the microbial profile of endometrium could have a role in fertilization and pregnancy outcomes. In th…

observational 2022
Human Reproduction ·doi:10.1093/humrep/deac140

STUDY QUESTION: Do the spectrum and prevalence of comorbidities of endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) overlap? SUMMARY ANSWER: Despite several overlapping symptoms, the most significantly associated comorbidities of endometri…

other 2022
Human reproduction open ·doi:10.1093/hropen/hoac043

STUDY QUESTION: Which genes regulate receptivity in the epithelial and stromal cellular compartments of the human endometrium, and which molecules are interacting in the implantation process between the blastocyst and the endometrial cells?…

other 2022
Reproductive BioMedicine Online ·doi:10.1016/j.rbmo.2022.05.028

RESEARCH QUESTION: Are paired samples of endometrium and ovarian endometriomas synchronous with each other throughout the menstrual cycle? DESIGN: The expression levels of 57 endometrial receptivity-associated genes were determined from ma…

other 2021
Life (Basel, Switzerland) ·doi:10.3390/life11121391

Embryo implantation depends on endometrial receptivity (ER). To achieve ER, the preparation of the uterine lining requires controlled priming by ovarian hormones and the expression of numerous genes in the endometrial tissue. microRNAs (miR…

lab-animal 2021
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) ·doi:10.3390/nano11123257

The current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for endometriosis are limited. Although endometriosis is a benign condition, some of its traits, such as increased cell invasion, migration, tissue inflammation, and angiogenesis are similar…

lab-animal 2020
Human Reproduction ·doi:10.1093/humrep/deaa164

STUDY QUESTION: What is the physiological role of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β1) and syndecans (SDC1, SDC4) in endometriotic cells in women with endometriosis? SUMMARY ANSWER: We observed an abnormal, pro-invasive phenotype in a …

other 2019
Biology of reproduction ·doi:10.1093/biolre/ioz092
other 2019
Biology of reproduction ·doi:10.1093/biolre/ioz072

Transcriptome profiling of 57 endometrial receptivity genes specifies the menstrual cycle phase of endometrial samples.

other 2018
Human Reproduction ·doi:10.1093/humrep/dey241

STUDY QUESTION: Is there molecular evidence for a link between endometriosis and endometriosis-associated ovarian cancers (EAOC)? STUDY ANSWER: We identified aberrant gene expression signatures associated with malignant transformation in a…