Submission Number: VEL-4-35-3
Abstract Number: 400
PLATELET-ACTIVATING FACTOR RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IN THE ENDOSALPINX OF THE HUMAN FALLOPIAN TUBE.
LA Velasquez 1, K Maisey 1, R Fernandez 1, D Valdes 1, H Cardenas* 1, J Delgado 2, J Aguilera 2 and HB Croxatto* 3
Laboratorio de Inmunología de la Reproducción, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile 1
Servicio de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Hospital Félix Bulnes, Santiago, Chile 2
Instituto Chileno de Medicina Reproductiva, Santiago, Chile 3
Abstract:
Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a lipid mediator endowed with a diversity of biological effects on various cells and tissues. PAF receptor (PAFr) is a member of the G protein-linked superfamily of plasma membrane receptors. Using PAF antagonists, embryo culture followed by PAF radioimmunoassay and PAFr in situ hybridization we previously showed that at 8-cell stage hamster embryos secrete PAF which acts on PAFr located in the endosalpinx and that this embryo-iniciated signaling times the passage of embryos into the uterus. PAF-like activity has been detected in the spent media of human embryos and it has been suggested that PAF may be the embryonic signal that controls embryo transport to the uterus in our species. The present study was undertaken to examine whether or not PAFr is expressed in the fallopian tube and to identify the cell types in which it is expressed. The presence of PAFr mRNA in the fallopian tube was investigated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. We amplified the predicted amplicon (682 bp) for PAFr mRNA from RNA samples extracted from fallopian tubes. Using antibodies directed toward the N-terminus of PAFr, the expression of the protein was detected by immunohistochemistry in epithelial and stromal cells. In conclusion PAFr is expressed in the endosalpinx, a site compatible with the proposed paracrine role of early embryo-derived PAF, as the embryonic signal that controls embryo transport to the uterus. Funded by DICYT, Fondecyt # 8980008, Catedra Presidencial en Ciencias H.B Croxatto and RF 98024#98. .
Keywords: Platelet-activating factor, fallopian tube, PAF receptor
This abstract is being presented at: 8:00 AM in session:
Uterus/Oviduct I