Fibroblast Growth Factors 1 and 2 in the Primate Uterus

Abstract

Fibroblast growth factors (FGF) 1 and 2 are paracrine effectors of proliferation and angiogenesis in many tissues. To elucidate potential roles for these growth factors in uterine plasticity, we used in situ hybridization histochemistry to identify the cellular sources of FGF-1 and -2 production, and immunohistochemistry to identify the cellular and extracellular deposition sites of the peptides in the primate uterus. To evaluate the effects of estradiol on uterine FGFs, uteri from ovariectomized rhesus monkeys treated with estradiol- or vehicle-containing pellets were investigated. FGF-1 and -2 mRNAs were both expressed in uterine epithelial and myometrial cells. Quantitative comparison of their mRNA levels using computerized grain counting showed no significant difference between estradiol- and vehicle-treated animals. FGF-1 immunoreactivity was detected in scattered epithelial, vascular, and myometrial cells in the vehicle-treated animals but found to be significantly more intense and widespread in estradiol-treated animals. In both conditions, FGF-1 immunostaining was predominantly nuclear. FGF-2 immunoreactivity was concentrated extracellularly in the basal lamina of both glandular and surface epithelium and was abundant and diffusely distributed within myometrial and vascular cells in both cytoplasm and nucleus. There was no apparent difference in the pattern or intensity of FGF-2 immunostaining related to estradiol treatment. These data demonstrate that major uterine cell types synthesize both FGF-1 and -2, and that the two peptides are differentially localized in uterine cellular and extracellular compartments and differentially sensitive to regulation by estradiol.

Temporal regulation of fibroblast growth factors and their receptors in the endometrium and conceptus during the pre-implantation period of pregnancy in cattle

“…Studies on FGF2 in both the primate (Samathanam et al 1998) and mouse uterus (Wordinger et al 1992) reported no response of FGF2 to altered E 2 concentrations. This is in contrast to previous studies on FGF2 in the bovine endometrium whereby FGF2 expression was highest at oestrus and decreased on subsequent days of the luteal phase of the cycle (Michael et al 2006).…”

“…FGF1 has been localised in the primate and ovine uterus (Gupta et al 1997, Samathanam et al 1998, where its levels increase in response to oestradiol (E 2 ) treatment and are associated with mitogenic activity (Samathanam et al 1998), while it has also been detected in bovine placentomes (Pfarrer et al 2006). FGF2 is expressed by the ovine endometrium and conceptus during early pregnancy, and peri-attachment conceptuses possess several types of FGFRs (Gupta et al 1997, Ocon-Grove et al 2008.…”

FGFR-1 signaling is involved in spermiogenesis and sperm capacitation

“…A role for FGFR-1 signaling in suppressing premature capacitation is plausible as bFGF has been identified in the uterus of many species including humans, monkeys, pigs, mice and rats (Ferriani et al, 1993;Gupta et al, 1997;Reynolds et al, 1998;Rider et al, 1997;Samathanam et al, 1998;Sangha et al, 1997;Wordinger et al, 1994). We hypothesize that binding of bFGF (or an equivalent ligand) to FGFR-1 leads to activation of the PI3K pathway and the subsequent phosphorylation of an as yet to be identified 'master controller of capacitation' (MCC) (Fig.…”

The Effect of Sildenafil Citrate on IGF-1 and bFGF Expression Acting on Endometrial Receptivity in Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulated Rats

“…48 Pri mat lar da ya pı lan bir ça lış ma da, bFGF mRNA' nın var lı ğı nın ute rin epi tel hüc re le riy le sı nır lıy ken im mü no re akti vi te nin epi tel ba zal la mi na sın da göz len me si nin, pep ti din epi tel hüc re le rin de üre ti lip ba zal la mi nada de po lan dı ğı, mi yo met ri yum da hem im mü no reak ti vi te hem de mRNA' nın mi yo fib ril ler de bol mik tar da göz len me siy se bFGF'nin mi yo met ri yumda otok rin ya da pa rak rin yol la dü zen len di ği şek-lin de yo rum lan mış tır. 49 Ay rı ca, stro mal hüc re le rin kol la je ni in dir ge yip fa go si te et ti ği ve ken di ba zal mem ba nı nı oluş tur du ğu be lir len miş; bFGF'nin mat riks me tal lop ro te i naz (MMP) üre ti mi ni ar tı rarak de si du a li zas yon ya nı sı ra an ji o ge ne zi si de dü-zen le di ği ifa de edil miş tir. 50 Biz, li te ra tür le uyum lu ola rak, bFGF'nin endo met ri yu mun lu mi nal ve glan du lar epi te li, stromal hüc re ler, da mar en do te li ve mi yo met ri yum da eks pre se ol du ğu nu be lir le dik.…”