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(444) LEUKEMIA INHIBITORY FACTOR AND ITS RECEPTORS IN RHESUS MONKEY OVIDUCT DURING THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE. Yue, Zhan-Peng1, Yang, Zeng-Ming2, Zhang, Xue-Ming1, An, Tie-Zhu1, 1 Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Changchun, Jilin, China2 College of Life Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China ABSTRACT- Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a glycoprotein that has pleiotrophic effects in many physiological systems including proliferation, differentiation and cell survival. LIF exerts its effects by binding to cell surface receptors. The activation of the LIF receptor complex requires heterodimerization of the two low-affinity components, the specific LIF receptor (LIFR) and the signal-transducing element gp130, and this combination generates a high affinity binding site. LIF is crucial for successful implantation of mouse embryos. It also plays an important role for embryo implantation in variety of mammals including rhesus monkey and human. The expression of LIF in the oviduct has been demonstrated in variety of mammals. This study was done to examine immunohistochemically the presence of LIF, LIFR and gp130 in the monkey oviduct during the menstrual cycle. Rhesus monkeys were caged individually in a controlled environment. Animals were evaluated daily by visual examination of the perineum for menses, with the onset of menses defined as day 1 of the menstrual cycle. The oviducts were removed from monkeys on days 1, 6, 9, 12, 16, 20, and 25 during the menstrual cycle. The results showed that the oviduct epithelial cells were the primary site of immunoreactive LIF, LIFR and gp130, which were present to a lesser extent in the stromal cells, smooth muscle cell layers, fibroblasts of serosal tissue, and arterial endothelial and smooth muscle cells. The ciliated and nonciliated epithelial cells in the ampullary and isthmus regions immunostained with similar intensity for LIF, LIFR and gp130. The immunostaining for LIF, LIFR and gp130 was cycle-dependent, was considerably higher during mid-to-late proliferative to early-to-mid secretory phases than during early proliferative and late secretory phases of the menstrual cycle. In summary, these results demonstrate that rhesus monkey oviduct contains immunoreactive proteins for LIF, LIFR and gp130 during the menstrual cycle. The cycle dependency suggests a potential regulation of their expression by ovarian steroids. The results imply the importance of LIF in a variety of oviduct biochemical and physiological functions and possibly early embryonic development. KEY WORDS: LIF receptors, LIF, rhesus monkey, oviduct |
