title: Binding of FGF2 to FGFR2 in an autocrine mode in trophectoderm cells is indispensable for mouse blastocyst formation through PKC-p38 pathway.
abstract: Fibroblast growth factors (FGF1, FGF2 and FGF4) and fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3 and FGFR4) have been reported to be expressed in preimplantation embryos and be required for their development. However, the functions of these molecules in trophectoderm cells (TEs) that lead to the formation of the blastocyst as well as the underlying mechanism have not been elucidated. The present study has demonstrated for the first time that endogenous FGF2 secreted by TEs can regulate protein expression and distribution in TEs via the FGFR2-mediated activation of PKC and p38, which are important for the development of expanded blastocysts. This finding provides the first explanation for the long-observed phenomenon that only high concentrations of exogenous FGFs have effects on embryonic development, but in vivo the amount of endogenous FGFs are trace. Besides, the present results suggest that FGF2/FGFR2 may act in an autocrine fashion and activate the downstream PKC/p38 pathway in TEs during expanded blastocyst formation.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.|b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.|d Department of Assisted Reproduction ; Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine ; Shanghai , China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.|b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.|b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.|b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Run-Ju
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.|b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.|c The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University ; Shanghai , China.
authors.forename: He-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.|b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Yong-Chao
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019898:Autocrine Communication / Q000502:physiology; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000378:metabolism*; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011247:Pregnancy; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism*; D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; C496354:Fgfr2 protein, mouse; D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2; D011493:Protein Kinase C
keywords: blastocyst formation; fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2); fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2); p38 MAPK; protein kinase C (PKC)