title: Preimplantation mouse embryo is a target for opioid ligand-receptor signaling.
abstract: Synchronization of preimplantation embryo development to blastocysts is one of the prerequisites for normal embryo implantation. While previous studies have ascribed an adverse effect to aberrant opioid signaling on embryo and fetal development, it has remained unclear whether the opioid system is operative in early pregnancy events. In the present study, employing multiple pharmacological and genetic approaches, we demonstrated that preimplantation embryos spanning the zygote to blastocyst express the opioid receptor subtypes and the oviduct expresses endogenous opioid precursors dynamically, which suggest that opioid signaling is functionally operative during preimplantation embryo development. Subsequent analysis further revealed that an aberrantly activated opioid signaling by morphine can remarkably derail normal preimplantation embryo development via inhibiting intracellular calcium mobilization, while a cotreatment of naloxone with morphine can remarkably reverse the adverse effects of morphine on preimplantation embryo development. Besides shedding light on the pathophysiological significance of the opioid system during early embryo development in mice, our findings have potential clinical relevance because an abused use of illicit opiate drugs is frequently associated with retarded fetal development and pregnancy failure in women.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yongjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shuangbo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaofang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yayuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bingyan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China zhangshuang0122@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China hbwang@ioz.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Haibin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009028:Morula / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009294:Narcotics / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009294:Narcotics; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D009270:Naloxone; D009020:Morphine; D002118:Calcium
keywords: calcium mobilization; mouse; opioid receptor; preimplantation embryo