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Expression of Transcriptional Repressor Slug Gene in Mouse Endometrium and its Effect During Embryo Implantation

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Abstract

Slug, a member of the Snail family of zinc-finger transcription factors, is involved in regulating embryonic development and tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of Slug in mouse endometrium during early pregnancy and its possible role during embryo implantation. Fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were applied to detect Slug mRNA and Slug protein expression in endometrium of nonpregnant and early pregnant mice, respectively. The expressions of Slug mRNA and its protein in pregnant group were higher than that in nonpregnant group and gradually increased from pregnancy day 1, reaching its maximum level on day 4 and then declining on days 5, 6, and 7. Immunohistochemistry showed that Slug protein was mainly present in luminal epithelium from pregnancy days 2 to 5 and in glandular epithelium from days 2 to 6 and enhanced significantly in stromal cells on days 4, 5, and 6. The number of embryos implanted was greatly decreased after Slug function in mouse endometrium was blocked by the intrauterine injection with anti-Slug polyclonal antibody on day 3 of pregnancy before implantation. These results suggested that up-regulation of Slug expression may play a key role in the embryo implantation in mice.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Professor MaoSheng YANG for his constructive comments on the manuscript and Doctor Qiong Shi at the Center for Medicine Probation at the Chongqing Medical University in China for the guidance and proposition of FQ-PCR. We apologize for unintended omission of any relevant references.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of the Reproductive Physiology, College of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China

    Fang Du, Rong Yang, Hai-Lan Ma, Qing-Yue Wang & Sha-Li Wei

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  1. Fang Du
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  2. Rong Yang
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  3. Hai-Lan Ma
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  4. Qing-Yue Wang
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  5. Sha-Li Wei
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Correspondence to Sha-Li Wei.

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Du, F., Yang, R., Ma, HL. et al. Expression of Transcriptional Repressor Slug Gene in Mouse Endometrium and its Effect During Embryo Implantation. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 157, 346–355 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-008-8521-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-008-8521-8

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