Preliminary experience with low concentration of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor: a potential regulator in preimplantation mouse embryo development and apoptosis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on the development of preimplantation mouse embryos.


METHODS
Mouse 2-cell embryos were collected and cultured in P-1 medium supplemented with GM-CSF at different concentrations. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, expression Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA in blastocyst were evaluated in the GM-CSF group and control group. Apoptosis detection was performed using the in situ apoptosis detection kit in mouse blastocysts. The statistical significance of the data was analyzed using t-test and chi-square test.


RESULTS
The development of blastocyst increased to 89% in the addition of GM-CSF (0.125 ng/mL), compared to controlled group (80%). The number of cells staining for apoptosis was lower in GM-CSF group than that in the control group. Bcl-2 expression was found to be upregulated in blastocysts in the GM-CSF supplemented group compared to the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that GM-CSF might be an important regulator in embryo development.
Behr
Barry
B
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA. behr@stanford.edu
Mooney
Stephen
S
Wen
Yan
Y
Polan
Mary Lake
ML
Wang
Hongbo
H
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011247:Pregnancy; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
C494827:Bax protein, mouse; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor