Expression of Serotonin Receptors in Mouse Oocytes and
Preimplantation Embryos
J. VESELÁ, P. REHÁK, J. MIHALIK, S.
CZIKKOVÁ, J. POKORNÝ, J. KOPPEL
Institute of Animal Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovak
Republic
Received
November 21, 2001
Accepted June 18, 2002
Summary
Serotonin receptors have been found in several reproductive
organs as well as in the central nervous system.
Serotonin-binding sites have been demonstrated in duck ovarian
follicles and the testis, hamster ovaries, human granulosa cells
and mouse placenta. Local production of serotonin by the rat
ovary, oviduct, uterus and testis has also been reported. We
analyzed the expression of three types of serotonin receptors:
5-HT1B, 5-HT2C and 5-HT1D by reverse transcription-polymerase
chain reaction in mouse unfertilized oocytes and preimplantation
embryos from zygotes to the blastocyst stage in vivo.
Transcripts for 5-HT1B and 5-HT2C serotonin receptors were
detected neither in unfertilized oocytes nor at any stages of in
vivo developing preimplantation embryos. Serotonin 5-HT1D
receptor mRNA was present in unfertilized oocytes, zygotes,
2-cell embryos, compacted morulae and in vivo produced expanded
blatocysts. The expression of the mRNA 5-HT1D serotonin receptor
was also detected in blastocysts cultured in vitro. When added
to the culture medium, specific serotonin 5-HT1D agonist
sumatriptan (1 μM) significantly inhibited the development of
mouse embryos cultured in vitro. Demonstration of the expression
of 5-HT1D serotonin receptor in mouse oocytes and
preimplantation embryos supports the idea of a functional
serotonin (5-HT1D) receptor in early mammalian development.
Key
words
Expression • Oocyte • Preimplantation • Serotonin •
Sumatriptan
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J. Veselá, Institute of Animal Physiology, Slovak Academy of
Sciences, Šoltésovej 4, 040 01 Košice, Slovak Republic. E-mail :
veselaj@saske.sk
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