title: Prolactin receptor mRNA expression in oocytes and preimplantation mouse embryos.
abstract: Prolactin was first identified as an anterior pituitary lobe hormone, responsible for the regulation of mammary gland growth and development. Prolactin receptors have been localized in a number of peripheral tissues, including tissues involved in reproduction. Studies with knockout animals have shown that prolactin receptor deficient mice present reproductive defects, whereas prolactin promotes the developmental potential of preimplantation mouse and rat embryos in vitro. To better understand the role of prolactin in the process of reproduction and early embryo development in mice, the expression of the four transcript variants of prolactin receptor was examined in the first stages of mouse embryo development. Prolactin long receptor mRNA was expressed in all stages examined, that is in cumulus cells, oocytes, zygotes, 2-cell embryos, 4-cell embryos, morulae and blastocysts. Prolactin receptor type S1 mRNA was observed only in cumulus cells, while S2 mRNA was present in cumulus cells, oocytes, zygotes and 2-cell embryos. S3 mRNA was expressed only in cumulus cells and oocytes. These results indicate that different isoforms of prolactin receptors may be present in the various stages of mouse preimplantation embryo and may play an important role in the control of its growth and development.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Alexandra Maternity Hospital, University of Athens, 11528, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Erasmia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kiapekou
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loutradis
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patsoula
authors.forename: Giorgos A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Koussidis
authors.forename: Vasilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Minas
authors.forename: Ritsa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bletsa
authors.forename: Aristeidis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antsaklis
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Michalas
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makrigiannakis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000378:metabolism*; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB; D009028:Morula / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015053:Zygote / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin; D004247:DNA