title: Expression of Fas and Fas ligand mRNA in rat and human preimplantation embryos.
abstract: The Fas-Fas ligand (L) system is one of the major signalling pathways to induce apoptosis in various cells and tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the Fas-Fas L system in rat and human oocytes and preimplantation embryos. We determined the expression of Fas and Fas L mRNA of rat oocytes and embryos up to the blastocyst stage, and of human embryos at the 2- or 4-cell stage, using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested PCR techniques. Moreover, we investigated the expression of Fas mRNA in human fragmented embryos. In rat embryos, Fas mRNA was expressed at the 2-cell stage only, whereas Fas L mRNA was expressed in oocytes, and at the pronuclear (1-cell) and 2-cell stages. In human embryos, Fas mRNA was expressed at the 4-cell stage only, whereas Fas L mRNA was expressed at both 2- and 4-cell stages. Human fragmented embryos expressed both Fas and Fas L mRNA. Because simultaneous expression of Fas and Fas L mRNA occurred in 2-cell rat embryos and in 4-cell human embryos, the Fas-Fas L system might be involved in the apoptotic pathway in the early embryos of these species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University School of Medicine and Akita University College of Allied Medical Science, Akita, 010-0041 Japan. kawamurak@obgyn.med.akita-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000235:genetics; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505662:Faslg protein, rat; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D019014:fas Receptor