Analysis of Ebaf and CFC in the oviduct during the early pregnancy

MARTIN E. ARGAÑARAZ; PABLO A. VALDECANTOS; DORA C. MICELI

Mar del Plata, Bs As, Atgentina

Congreso; XLIII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Biológica y Biología Celular; 2007

ANALYSIS OF EBAF AND CFC IN THE OVIDUCT DURING THE EARLY PREGNANCYMartín E. Argañaraz, Pablo A. Valdecantos, Dora C. Miceli. E-mail:martin3ea@yahoo.com.arInst. Sup. de Investigaciones Biológicas.INSIBIO (CONICET-UNT), Chacabuco461, 4000. SM. de Tucumán.Growth factors and their receptors are expressed by the preimplantationembryo and the reproductive tract. Moreover, they affect the rate ofembryo development and they are involved in the maternal-embryocross-talk. In previous work we described the isolation and cloning ofEbaf, a member of the TGF-B family, in the rat oviduct. In the presentwork we study the expression of Ebaf in the oviduct during the earlypregnancy (EP) and pseudopregnant (SP) stage and compare it with theexpression of CFC (Cripto-FRL1-Cryptic), a molecule that acts like areceptor. Western blots (WB) reveal that the mature form of Ebaf (26 kDa)was present in the oviduct during the EP showing a significant increase inthe day 4º that was maintained until the day 6º, also showed that Ebaf ispresent in the oviductal fluid at day 4º, when the embryo is still there.RT-PCR demonstrated that Ebaf and CFC expression levels were higher duringthe 4th day of EP, in contrast with SP where the transcript levels presentminimal variations. These results suggested that Ebaf up-regulation isindependent of sexual hormones, indicating that the embryo or/and otherfactors present in the EP are responsible of its regulation. The presenceof CFC and the mature form of Ebaf in the organ and the fluid wouldindicate that Ebaf is active and that could act in an autocrineand/paracrine way on the oviduct and/or on the embryo.