Ethanol impedes embryo transport and impairs oviduct epithelium.
Most studies have demonstrated that alcohol consumption is associated with decreased fertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of alcohol on pre-implantation embryo transport and/or early embryo development in the oviduct. We reported here that ethanol concentration-dependently suppressed the spontaneous motility of isolated human oviduct strips (EC50 50±6mM), which was largely attenuated in the present of L-NAME, a classical nitric oxide synthase(NOS) competitive inhibitor. Notably, either acute or chronic alcohol intake delayed egg transport and retarded early development of the embryo in the mouse oviduct, which was largely rescued by co-administration of L-NAME in a acute alcohol intake group but not in chronic alcohol intake group. It is worth mentioning that the oviductal epithelium destruction was verified by scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations in chronic alcohol intake group. In conclusion, alcohol intake delayed egg transport and retarded early development of the embryo in the oviduct by suppressing the spontaneous motility of oviduct and/or impairing oviductal epithelium. These findings suggested that alcohol abuse increases the incident of ectopic pregnancy.
Department of Physiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Tonghui
T
Xu
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinan maternity and child care hospital, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Qiuhong
Q
Yang
Department of Physiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Ruoxi
R
Liu
Department of Physiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Wenfu
W
Wang
Department of Physiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Shuanglian
S
Wang
Department of Physiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Chuanyong
C
Liu
Department of Physiology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: ljingxin@sdu.edu.cn.
Jingxin
J
Li
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D010057:Oviducts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
D000431:Ethanol; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester
Alcohol; Ectopic pregnancy; Embryo transport; Fertility; Nitric oxide