The effects of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor on preimplantation-embryo development and implantation in the rat.
This study examined the effects of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) on preimplantation-embryo development and initiation of implantation in the rat. In vitro studies showed that HB-EGF improved the development of 8-cell embryos to the blastocyst stage in a concentration-dependent manner, and the growth factor had no effect on the cell number of the blastocyst developed. Intraluminal injection of an anti-HB-EGF antiserum into the uterine horns at 0600 h on day 5 of pregnancy decreased the number of implantation sites (blue dye reaction) at 0200 h on day 6. Intraluminal injection of 20 microl of HB-EGF solution (10 or 100 ng/ml) into each uterine horn induced implantation in about half of the ovariectomized progesterone-treated delayed implanting rats, and the number of implantation sites per rat increased dose-dependently. These results suggest that HB-EGF is involved in the preimplantation-embryo development and initiation of implantation in the rat.
Tamada
H
H
Department of Animal Reproduction, College of Agriculture, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Japan. tamada@vet.osakafu-u.ac.jp
Higashiyama
C
C
Takano
H
H
Kawate
N
N
Inaba
T
T
Sawada
T
T
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D002452:Cell Count; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
D000906:Antibodies; C587885:Hbegf protein, rat; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor