Upregulation of Indian hedgehog gene in the uterine epithelium by leukemia inhibitory factor during mouse implantation.

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and Indian hedgehog (Ihh) are essential for embryo implantation in mice and are regulated by the actions of 17beta-estradiol (E2) and progesterone, respectively. The present study examined the effect of LIF on Ihh and Ihh-related factors in the uterine luminal epithelium during the implantation period using a DNA microarray. Expression of Ihh mRNA reached its peak on the forth day of pregnancy, and progesterone receptor (Pgr) mRNA decreased on the fifth day of pregnancy in wildtype mice. On the other hand, these changes in expression were not seen in LIF-/- mice. Ihh and Pgr mRNA were upregulated by LIF injection in delayed implantation mice. This up-regulation of Pgr was transient and preceded an increase of Ihh mRNA. Ihh mRNA also increased after E2 injection in delayed implantation mice of the LIF-/- genotype. E2 did not affect transcription of Pgr mRNA in the uterine luminal epithelium of delayed implantation LIF-/- mice. Using an antibody against the C-terminal epitope of Ihh, unprocessed Ihh proteins, but not C-terminal peptides, by autoproteolytic cleavage of Ihh were detected by western blot analysis. Unprocessed Ihh did not show quantitative changes between the wildtype and LIF-/- mice during the implantation period. Transcription of hedgehog acyltransferase was not influenced by LIF and E2 injection. In conclusion, LIF, which has a crucial role in E2 action for initiation of implantation, caused transient induction of Pgr mRNA and subsequent upregulation of Ihh mRNA, which mediates progesterone-Pgr actions for successful implantation.