Proliferation-stimulating effect of colony stimulating factor 2 on porcine trophectoderm cells is mediated by activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase

PLoS One. 2014 Feb 10;9(2):e88731. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088731. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Colony-stimulating factor 2 (CSF2), also known as granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, facilitates mammalian embryonic development and implantation. However, biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of action of porcine endometrial CSF2 in peri-implantation events have not been elucidated. The aim of present study was to determine changes in cellular activities induced by CSFs and to access CSF2-induced intracellular signaling in porcine primary trophectoderm (pTr) cells. Differences in expression of CSF2 mRNA in endometrium from cyclic and pregnant gilts were evaluated. Endometrial CSF2 mRNA expression increases during the peri-implantation period, Days 10 to 14 of pregnancy, as compared to the estrous cycle. pTr cells obtained in Day 12 of pregnancy were cultured in the presence or absence of CSF2 (20 ng/ml) and LY294002 (20 µM), U0126 (20 µM), rapamycin (20 nM), and SB203580 (20 µM). CSF2 in pTr cell culture medium at 20 ng/ml significantly induced phosphorylation of AKT1, ERK1/2, MTOR, p70RSK and RPS6 protein, but not STAT3 protein. Also, the PI3K specific inhibitor (LY294002) abolished CSF2-induced increases in p-ERK1/2 and p-MTOR proteins, as well as CSF2-induced phosphorylation of AKT1. Changes in proliferation and migration of pTr cells in response to CSF2 were examined in dose- and time-response experiments. CSF2 significantly stimulated pTr cell proliferation and, U0126, rapamycin and LY294002 blocked this CSF2-induced proliferation of pTr cells. Collectively, during the peri-implantation phase of pregnancy in pigs, endometrial CSF2 stimulates proliferation of trophectoderm cells by activation of the PI3K-and ERK1/2 MAPK-dependent MTOR signal transduction cascades.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Ectoderm / cytology*
  • Ectoderm / drug effects
  • Ectoderm / enzymology*
  • Endometrium / drug effects
  • Endometrium / metabolism
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Estrous Cycle / drug effects
  • Female
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / genetics
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / metabolism
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / pharmacology*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Pregnancy
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Sus scrofa
  • Trophoblasts / cytology*
  • Trophoblasts / drug effects
  • Trophoblasts / enzymology*

Substances

  • RNA, Messenger
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the grant from the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (No. PJ008142), Rural Development Administration and by the Basic Science Research Program (No. NRF-26 2013R1A1A3012164) through the National Research Foundation of Korea, Republic of Korea, and also by the National Research Initiative Competitive Grant No. 2006-35203-17283 from the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, United States of America. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.