Expression of leukemia inhibitory factor and its receptor in preimplantation embryos

Objective: To examine the expression of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and its receptor (LIF-R) transcripts in human and murine preimplantation embryos. Design: Prospective study. Setting: University medical center. Patient(s): Human oocytes were obtained from patients undergoing IVF treatment. Two-cell murine embryos were obtained from ICR strain mice. Intervention(s): Second-day intracytoplasmic sperm injection procedures were performed on oocytes that failed to be fertilized by IVF. Embryos were cultured to various stages and collected for study. Main Outcome Measure(s): The transcript levels of LIF and LIF-R in these embryos were examined and semiquantitated using single-cell reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction methodology. Result(s): Leukemia inhibitory factor and LIF-R transcripts were detectable in most human preimplantation embryos (30 of 34 and 31 of 34 embryos showed LIF and LIF-R messenger RNA, respectively). There was a trend toward decreased expression of both transcripts in embryos at the four-cell stage and in embryos in which growth had been arrested for 24–48 hours. The expression of LIF and LIF-R genes in murine embryos was inconsistent. Conclusion(s): Preimplantation human embryos express LIF and LIF-R messenger RNA. It is suggested that LIF may be able to affect embryo development through its action at stages before implantation in an autocrine or paracrine manner.