Identification of transcription factors at the site of implantation in the later stages of murine pregnancy.
Despite medical advances, preterm delivery continues to complicate 12% of all births in the United States and is a major cause of neonatal deaths. One of the reasons that preterm labor continues to be a significant problem is that very little is understood about the factors involved in normal labor. Many investigators have studied parturition in the mouse and defined essential pathways for normal labor. Prostaglandins play an essential role in mouse labor and are important in human labor as well. We examined the 23 transcription factors from pregnant mouse uterus that change expression after the induction of cyclooxygenase-1, the enzyme that catalyzes the first committed step in prostaglandin synthesis. Using in situ hybridization, we have identified three of these transcription factors, Hoxa10, Hoxa11 and GILZ as being expressed in the decidua and regulated at the end of pregnancy. Both Hoxa10 and Hoxa11 are known to be critical for implantation, but very little is known about their roles in late gestation. GILZ has not previously been identified in the gravid uterus. In summary, we have identified three transcription factors that are regulated in the decidua at the end of pregnancy, suggesting a role in detachment of the fetus and placenta.
Zhao
Baohui
B
Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children, 702 Barnhill Dr., RI 5960, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
Koon
Deanna
D
Bethin
Kathleen E
KE
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern / Q000379:methods; D003656:Decidua / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D000080905:Homeobox A10 Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D036801:Parturition / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
C498608:Dsip1 protein, mouse; D000080905:Homeobox A10 Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C094041:Hoxa11 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; C092119:Hoxa10 protein, mouse