Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-26 (MMP-26) mRNA in mouse uterus during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy.
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors play important roles in the remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM). MMP-26, also called endometase or matrilysin-2, is a novel member of the MMP family. The present study was to investigate the temporal and spatial expression of MMP-26 mRNA in mouse uterus during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy by using in situ hybridization and semi-quantitative RT-PCR. In this study, MMP-26 mRNA was found to be localized to the luminal and glandular epithelium at proestrus and estrus, and the expression level was decreased significantly from metestrus to dioestrus. During pre-implantation period, MMP-26 mRNA was predominantly expressed in luminal and glandular epithelium at much higher level; whereas it switched to stroma during peri-implantation period, and also appeared in the blastocysts and the implantation sites. The results suggested that MMP-26 might play a role in the cycling changes of mouse uterus during the estrous cycle and embryo implantation.
State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 25 Bei Si Huan Xi Lu, Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China.
Guoyi
G
Liu
Xuan
X
Zhang
Haiyan
H
Lin
Qinglei
Q
Li
Hongmei
H
Wang
Jiang
J
Ni
Qing-Xiang
QX
Amy Sang
Cheng
C
Zhu
D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053505:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Secreted; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; C410599:MMP26 protein, human; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases; D053505:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Secreted