title: Gonadotropin stimulation may not affect the expression of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor in the murine endometrium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Present human data reveal that gonadotropin stimulation for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) is detrimental to uterine receptivity. Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is important in the early stage of mouse embryonic implantation since it is expressed in the murine endometrium before the attachment reaction. Gonadotropin receptors have been found on the murine endometrium. In this study, we assessed the expression of HB-EGF mRNA on the gonadotropin-stimulated murine endometrium and sought evidence of whether the gonadotropin-induced, altered uterine receptivity is associated with a change in the HB-EGF expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative, competitive reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry were performed to evaluate the expression of HB-EGF mRNA on the stimulated murine endometrium from pregnant uteri of gestation day (g.d.) 5.0 after injection of saline, or pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) 5 or 10 IU.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of HB-EGF mRNA showed no significant increase or decrease in the endometrial expression in PMSG groups, compared to the control group (natural coitus with saline injection), on g.d. 5.0. This finding was consistent with the immunostaining of HB-EGF protein, and there was no significant difference in the staining intensity among the 3 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reveals that ovarian stimulation by gonadotropin may not influence the expression of HB-EGF in the murine endometrium. Further investigations are necessary to elucidate whether embryonic HB-EGF receptor status relative to endometrial HB-EGF expression is affected by ovarian stimulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Yup
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: Byung Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.forename: Chang Suk
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Seok Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jung Gu
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shin Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051379:Mice; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D006062:Gonadotropins; C587883:HBEGF protein, human; C587884:Hbegf protein, mouse; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor