Roles of ERα during mouse trophectoderm lineage differentiation: revealed by antagonist and agonist of ERα.

During mouse early embryogenesis, blastomeres increase in number by the morula stage. Among them, the outer cells are polarized and differentiated into trophectoderm (TE), while the inner cells remain unpolarized and give rise to inner cell mass (ICM). TE provides an important liquid environment for ICM development.

Inhibition of phosphorylated Ser473-Akt from translocating into the nucleus contributes to 2-cell arrest and defective zygotic genome activation in mouse preimplantation embryogenesis.

Phosphorylated Ser473-Akt (p-Ser473-Akt) is extensively studied as a correlate for the activity of Akt, which plays an important role in mouse oogenesis and preimplantation embryogenesis. However, little progress has been made about its effect on the mouse zygotic genome activation (ZGA) of 2-cell stage in mouse preimplantation embryos. In this study, we confirmed its localization in the pronuclei of 1-cell embryos and found that p-Ser473-Akt acquired prominent nucleus localization in 2-cell embryos physiologically.

Effects of ERα-specific antagonist on mouse preimplantation embryo development and zygotic genome activation.

Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) is essential for normal development of mammalian preimplantation embryos. Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) has been implicated in early embryogenesis, and controls the expression of genes associated with proliferation, differentiation and development of cell and target organs via a genomic effect. The objective of this study was to determine whether ERα plays a role in early embryo development and affects ZGA gene expression.

Role of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells in melatonin-mediated inhibition of murine gastric cancer cell growth in vivo and in vitro.

Melatonin is an important immune modulator with antitumor functions, and increased CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been observed in tumor tissues of patients and animal models with gastric cancer. However, the relationship between melatonin and Tregs remains unclear. To explore this potential connection, we performed an in vivo study by inoculating the murine foregastric carcinoma (MFC) cell line in mice and then treated them with different doses of melatonin (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, i.