前蛋白转换酶Furin和PC7在小鼠母胎界面的动态表达及其在胚胎粘附和扩展中的作用

Dynamic expression of Furin and PC7 at the maternal-fetal interface and their roles in adhesion and outgrowth of mouse embryos

通过免疫组化、免疫荧光和小鼠胚胎-子宫内膜上皮细胞共培养体系,研究了前蛋白转换酶Proprotein Convertases(PCs)家族中的Furin和PC7在小鼠妊娠早期子宫和胚胎中的表达及对胚胎植入的影响。结果显示:Furin和PC7在妊娠D1-D4小鼠子宫的腺上皮和D5-D7小鼠子宫的蜕膜、腺上皮高表达;PC7在植入前胚胎的2-细胞和4-细胞期表达很低,8-细胞期表达开始增加,囊胚期滋养外胚层有显著的高表达。Furin的抑制剂Dec-RVKR-CMK可显著抑制共培养体系中胚胎的粘附和扩展。以上结果表明,Furin在植入期胚胎的粘附和扩展中发挥重要作用。此外,Furin和PC7可能参与子宫内膜蜕膜化和早期胚胎发育。

The expression and function of Furin and PC7 during mouse embryo implantation was investigated using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and an in vitro embryo-endometrial epithelial cells co-culture system. Resultsshowed that Furin and PC7 were mainly localized in the glandular epithelial ceils from D1 to D4 of pregnancy and in decidual ceils and glandular epithelium on days 5 - 7 of pregnancy. Expression of PC7 was hardly detectable in embryos at the 2-cell and 4-cell stages, but was significantly upregulated at 8-cell stage and the expression level of PC7 was the highest at the blastocyst stage, with strong PC7 expression in trophectoderm. Dec-RVKR-CMK, a Furin inhibitor, significantly inhibited adhesion and outgrowth of embryos in the co-culture system. These results suggest that Furin plays an important role in embryonic adhesion and outgrowth on endometrial epithelial cells. Furthermore, Furin and PC7 may also be involved in decidualization of mouse uterine stromal ceils and early embryonic development