Changes in Uterine Expression of Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Receptor Gene During Pregnancy and Its Up-Regulation by Prolactin in the Western Spotted Skunk

• Published in: Biology of reproduction Vol. 63; no. 1; pp. 301 - 307
• Main Authors: PASSAVANT, C, ZHAO, X, DAS, S. K, DEY, S. K, MEAD, R. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison, WI Society for the Study of Reproduction 01-07-2000
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Embryo Implantation; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation; Growth Inhibitors; Hormone metabolism and regulation; Interleukin-6; Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; Lymphokines; Mephitidae - physiology; Ovariectomy; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Animal - metabolism; Pregnancy. Parturition. Lactation; Prolactin - metabolism; Prolactin - pharmacology; Receptors, Cytokine - genetics; Receptors, Cytokine - metabolism; Receptors, OSM-LIF; Up-Regulation; Uterus - drug effects; Uterus - physiology; Vertebrates: reproduction; Pregnancy; Fissipedia; Carnivora; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Adenohypophyseal hormone; Uterus; Prolactin; Leukemia inhibitory factor; Female genital system; Hormonal regulation; Gene expression
• ISSN: 0006-3363; 1529-7268
• DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod63.1.301

The multifunctional cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is presumed to participate in preparing the uterus for blastocyst
implantation. Increased production of LIF is positively correlated with termination of embryonic diapause and preparation
for implantation in the spotted skunk. This study examined changes in the expression, localization, and hormonal regulation
of LIF receptor (LIFRβ) gene expression in the uterus of the skunk. Changes in the uterine concentration of LIFRβ mRNA during
pregnancy or in response to hormones after ovariectomy were determined by Northern hybridization analysis and reverse-transcriptase
polymerase chain reaction. The skunk uterus produces two LIFRβ transcripts, the levels of which increase in concentration
when the blastocysts resume their development but then decline somewhat during the latter stage of blastocyst activation.
Ovariectomy significantly reduced uterine LIFRβ expression. Estradiol and/or progesterone failed to significantly elevate
LIFRβ mRNA levels in ovariectomized animals. Prolactin significantly increased uterine concentrations of LIFRβ mRNA to greater
than those of ovariectomized controls, but these levels were not comparable to those observed during preimplantation. The
LIFRβ mRNA was predominately localized to stromal cells surrounding the uterine glands and in yolk sac endoderm, syncytiotrophoblast,
and cytotrophoblast of postimplantation embryos.