The termination of early pregnancy in the mouse by beta-momorcharin.
beta- Momorcharin is a basic glycoprotein found in the seeds of Momordica charantia L. It differed immunologically from alpha- momorcharin also of the same source but possessed similar mid-term abortifacient activity. Intraperitoneal administration of beta- momocharin into mice on Days 4 and 6 of pregnancy led to an inhibition of pregnancy. In vitro study showed that the protein disturbed peri-implantation development by: (a) blocking the hatching of embryos from the zona pellucida; (b) decreasing the incidence of successful attachment of the blastocyst; (c) reducing the trophoblast outgrowth; and (d) disrupting the development of inner cell mass. It is likely that beta- momorcharin inhibited embryonic implantation by a similar biological action previously described for alpha- momorcharin .
D000019:Abortifacient Agents; D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects; D046508:Culture Techniques; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D051379:Mice; D009028:Morula / Q000187:drug effects; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; D054788:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000187:drug effects
D000019:Abortifacient Agents; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; C039582:MMC protein, Momordica charantia; D054788:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins