Nitric oxide as a regulator of embryonic development

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in activation of cGMP is well established. It has been proposed that the ratio of cAMP to cGMP may be important in the regulation of preimplantation embryonic growth and differentiation. Therefore, we determined the ability of murine preimplantation embryos to produce N...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Biology of reproduction Vol. 58; no. 4; pp. 875 - 879
Main Authors:	GOUGE, R. C, MARSHBURN, P, GORDON, B. E, NUNLEY, W, HUET-HUDSON, Y. M
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Madison, WI Society for the Study of Reproduction 01-04-1998
Subjects:	Animals Biological and medical sciences Culture Media, Conditioned Culture Techniques Early stages. Segmentation. Gastrulation. Neurulation Embryo Implantation - physiology Embryo, Mammalian - enzymology Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology Embryonic and Fetal Development Embryonic Development Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology Estradiol - pharmacology Female Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology Mice Nitrates - analysis Nitric Oxide - biosynthesis Nitric Oxide - physiology Nitric Oxide Synthase - analysis Nitric Oxide Synthase - antagonists & inhibitors Nitroarginine - pharmacology Pregnancy Embryonic development Vertebrata Regulation(control) Mammalia Mouse Nitric oxide Rodentia Blastocyst Estrogen Early stage Sex steroid hormone Ovarian hormone
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Summary:	The role of nitric oxide (NO) in activation of cGMP is well established. It has been proposed that the ratio of cAMP to cGMP may be important in the regulation of preimplantation embryonic growth and differentiation. Therefore, we determined the ability of murine preimplantation embryos to produce NO. In addition, NO as an endogenous smooth muscle relaxant and vasodilator is a candidate for involvement in embryo implantation because this process requires increased vascular permeability and uterine quiescence at the sites of blastocyst apposition. Nitrite assays, an indirect measure of NO production, indicate that preimplantation murine embryos produce NO. This production was reversibly inhibited by culture of embryos in medium containing a nonspecific NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor (NG-nitro-L-arginine). Additionally, inhibition of normal development was observed in embryos cultured with NOS inhibitor. NO levels increased in culture medium when ovariectomized progesterone-treated animals were exposed to estrogen for 1 h in utero. Such hormonal treatment induces implantation. These data indicate that NO levels are regulated by estrogen and may be important in regulation of implantation. In addition, these data demonstrate for the first time that NO production appears to be required for normal embryonic development.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0006-3363 1529-7268
DOI:	10.1095/biolreprod58.4.875