Tissue-specific expression of messenger ribonucleic acids for insulin-like growth factors and insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins during perinatal development of the rat uterus.
Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-II play a number of important roles in growth and differentiation, and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) modulate IGF biological activity. IGF-I has been shown previously to be essential for normal uterine development. Therefore, we used in situ hybridization assays to characterize the unique tissue- and developmental stage-specific pattern of expression for each IGF and IGFBP gene in the rat uterus during perinatal development (gestational day [GD]-20 to postnatal day [PND]-24). IGF-I and IGFBP-1 mRNAs were expressed in all uterine tissues throughout this period. IGFBP-3 mRNA was not detectable at GD-20 but became detectable beginning at PND-5, and the signal intensity appeared to increase during stromal and muscle development. IGFBP-4 mRNA was abundant throughout perinatal development in the myometrium and in the stroma, particularly near the luminal epithelium. IGFBP-5 mRNA was abundantly expressed in myometrium throughout perinatal development. IGFBP-6 mRNA was detected throughout perinatal development in both the stroma and myometrium in a diffuse expression pattern. IGF-II and IGFBP-2 mRNAs were not detected in perinatal uteri. Our results suggest that coordinated temporal and spatial expression of IGF-I and its binding proteins (IGFBP-1,-3,-4,-5, and -6) could play important roles in perinatal rodent uterine development.
Gu
Y
Y
Division of Genetic and Reproductive Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas 72079, USA.
Branham
W S
WS
Sheehan
D M
DM
Webb
P J
PJ
Moland
C L
CL
Streck
R D
RD
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015347:RNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014599:Uterus / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*
D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; D015347:RNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013002:Somatomedins