La. Velasquez et al., EXPRESSION OF PLATELET-ACTIVATING-FACTOR RECEPTOR IN THE HAMSTER OVIDUCT - LOCALIZATION TO THE ENDOSALPINX, Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, 109(2), 1997, pp. 349-354
Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a lipid mediator that has a range
of biological effects on various cells and tissues. PAF-like activity
has been detected in the spent media of two-cell to morula stage hamst
er embryos, leading to the suggestion that PAF may be the embryonic si
gnal that hastens embryo transport to the uterus in this species. The
present study was undertaken to examine whether the PAF receptor (PAFr
) gene is expressed in hamster oviduct, and to identify the cell types
in which the gene is expressed. DNA fragments complementary to the co
ding region of mRNA encoding hamster PAFr were cloned by reverse trans
cription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), identified by sequencing
and used to prepare hamster specific cRNA probes. The presence of mRNA
transcripts encoding the PAFr receptor in the oviduct was investigate
d by subjecting oviduct mRNA to RT-PCR. Southern blot analysis of the
RT-PCR products verified the identity of the presumptive PAFr cDNAs. T
he cloned cDNA fragment of hamster PAFr was found to be highly conserv
ed with respect to the receptor of other species, having 94.3% sequenc
e similarity to the rat PAFr receptor. Hybridization histochemistry de
monstrated that PAFr is expressed in the subepithelial cells and occas
ionally in the epithelium. In conclusion, expression of PAFr in the ha
mster oviduct is compatible with the proposed paracrine role of early
embryo-derived PAF.