title: Postgestational effects of macrophage migration inhibitory factor on embryonic implantation in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate in vivo the effects of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) on endometrial receptivity and embryonic implantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A murine experimental model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animal facilities at Research Center of Saint-François d'Assise Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten-week-old B6C3F-1 female mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intraperitoneal injections of recombinant mouse MIF or saline (control) the day after successful mating and during the peri-implantation period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Markers of uterine receptivity, including integrins and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemical analyses indicated that MIF induced a marked increase in alpha(v) (alphav), beta3 (beta3) integrin subunits and VEGF mRNA, and protein expression in the endometrium. The MIF (10 microg/mL) significantly increased the number of von Willebrand factor-stained microvessels, and a significant correlation between VEGF expression and the number of von Willebrand factor-stained vessels was observed. Moreover, a tendency for an enhanced pregnancy rate (PR) in MIF-treated mice was seen compared with controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings reveal that after gestation, MIF may play an important role in endometrial receptivity and embryonic implantation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Endocrinologie de la Reproduction, Centre de Recherche, Hôpital Saint-François d'Assise, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Patrick Kibangou
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Bondza
authors.forename: Christine N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akoum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004717:Endometrium / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016023:Integrins; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A