title: Exogenous interferon-gamma alters murine inner cell mass and trophoblast development. Effect on the expression of ErbB1, ErbB4 and heparan sulfate proteoglycan (perlecan).
abstract: Implantation is a crucial event in human pregnancy. The participation of cytokines in the implantation process has been widely documented, although the role of many of these molecules is still a matter of controversy. In a previous report from our laboratory, we demonstrated that addition of interferon-gamma to the culture medium produces deleterious effects on mouse embryo development. In this study we investigated the effect of this cytokine on outgrowing embryo morphology and on the expression of epidermal growth factor receptors (ErbBs) and heparan sulfate proteoglycan (perlecan) in mouse embryos cultured in vitro. Morphological assessment of inner cell mass and trophoblast development was carried on in-situ fixed and stained outgrowths. Localization of ErbB1, ErbB4 and perlecan on pre- and peri-implantation embryos was investigated by immunocytochemistry. Addition of interferon-gamma produced a deleterious effect on both inner cell mass and trophoblast morphology. Immunostaining demonstrated that ErbB1, ErbB4 and perlecan are present on pre-implantation embryos and blastocysts; interferon-gamma altered the expression of ErbB4 and Perlecan at the blastocyst stage. We propose that the effects produced by this cytokine could be related to the altered acquisition of adhesion competence and low implantation rates observed in certain reproductive immunological disorders.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Biología de la Reproducción, Ecuador 1465 2B (1425), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Vanina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Choren
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vauthay
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: Lucrecia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cameo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C071927:perlecan; D007371:Interferon-gamma; C587689:ERBB4 protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; C587690:Erbb4 protein, mouse; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4