Korean J Fertil Steril.  2003 Mar;30(1):5-14.

Granulocyte Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor Signaling in Development of Mouse Embryos

• Suh H
• Chung KH
• Kang BM
• Gye MC

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Present study was aimed to verify the effect of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the preimplantation development of mouse embryos and the involvement of the mitogen activated protein kiase (MAPK) in the GM-CSF signaling.
METHODS
Two-cell embryos were cultured for 96 h in the presence or absence of GM-CSF (0, 0.4, 2, 10 ng/ml) and PD98059, a MEK inhibitor (10 muM). Morphological development, cell number per blastocyst, and apoptotic nuclei, were eamined. MAPK activity of embryonic immunoprecipitate by MAPK (ERK1/2) antibody was measured by in vitro phosphorylation of myelin basic protein.
RESULTS
At post hCG 122 h the embryonic development among the experimental groups was significantly different (p=0.018). The rate of blastocyst development and cell number per embryo were the highest in 2 ng/ml GM-CSF treatment group. The percent of apoptotic cells of the GM-CSF-treated embryos was the lowest among the group. in blastocysts, GM-CSF treatment transiently increased MAPK activity. PD098059 attenuated the effect of GM-CSF on the morphological development, increase in cell number per blastocyst, down regulation of apoptosis, and upregulation of MAPK activity, suggesting that activation of MAPK cascade possibly mediated the embryotropic effect of GM-CSF.
CONCLUSION
This result suggested that GM-CSF potentiated the development of preimplantation mouse embryos by activation of MAPK.

Keyword

GM-CSF; Signaling; Development; Apoptosis; MAPK; Mouse embryos

MeSH Terms

Animals
Apoptosis
Blastocyst
Cell Count
Down-Regulation
Embryonic Development
Embryonic Structures*
Female
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
Granulocytes*
Mice*
Myelin Basic Protein
Phosphorylation
Pregnancy
Up-Regulation
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
Myelin Basic Protein