title: Involvement of endometrial membrane sulphydryl groups in blastocyst implantation: sulphydryl groups as a potential target for contraceptive research.
abstract: The role of membrane sulphydryl groups in blastocyst implantation was studied by masking the membrane sulphydryl groups in the endometrium of Swiss albino mice, Mus musculus, using 10(-5) M cobalt chloride and 0.05 mM as well as 0.005 mM n-ethylmaleimide. Here we show that the blocking of sulphydryl groups with cobalt resulted in a decrease in superoxide radical surge and an increase in superoxide dismutase levels at the time of implantation. We hypothesize that it may be due to either a decrease in membrane fluidity or the unavailability of sulphydryl groups of endometrial membrane, thus preventing blastocyst implantation. These sulphydryl groups can be targeted for future contraceptive research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, B.V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development Centre, Thaltej Gandhinagar Highway, Thaltej, Ahmedabad-380054, Gujarat, India. manishnivsarkar@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nivsarkar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sethi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bapu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Padh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D003035:Cobalt / Q000378:metabolism; D003267:Contraception; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000502:physiology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D013858:Thiobarbiturates / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D013858:Thiobarbiturates; D013481:Superoxides; D003035:Cobalt; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C029684:thiobarbituric acid