title: Analysis of transcription factor Stk40 expression and function during mouse pre-implantation embryonic development.
abstract: Determining the molecular mechanisms in the regulation of early embryonic development is crucial for assisted reproductive technology clinical applications. Serine/threonine protein kinase 40 (Stk40) is a member of the serine/threonine kinase family. It is essential in diverse signaling pathways associated with a wide range of cellular activities, including proliferation, differentiation, survival and apoptosis. However, its involvement and molecular mechanisms in pre‑implantation embryonic development have not been well‑defined. In the present study, it was demonstrated that Stk40 was involved in the development of mouse pre‑implantation embryos. Immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy analyses showed that Stk40 was equally expressed in the nuclei and cytoplasm during all stages of pre‑implantation mouse embryos of imprinting control region mice. Reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction showed a significantly higher transcription rate of Stk40 mRNA in the two‑cell stage. The results demonstrated that Stk40 downregulation by microinjection of small interfering RNA into the mouse zygote markedly decreased the blastulation compared with that in the control (Stk40i‑1 vs. control: 65.2% and 77.0%, P<0.05 and Stk40i‑2 vs. control: 49.8% and 70.1%, respectively, P<0.05). In addition, silencing of Stk40 significantly increased the transcription rate of reticulocalbin‑2, whereas that of the homeobox protein, Cdx2, was decreased. In conclusion, the results suggested that Stk40 may be critical in the development of pre‑implantation embryos.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210046, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Junqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Juanjuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xirong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study of Ministry of Education, Model Animal Research Centre, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chaojun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiufeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210046, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000071616:CDX2 Transcription Factor; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D047108:Embryonic Development; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D000071616:CDX2 Transcription Factor; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C487514:Cdx2 protein, mouse; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C562051:Rcn2 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C547661:Stk40 protein, mouse