The effects of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor on preimplantation-embryo development and implantation in the rat.

This study examined the effects of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) on preimplantation-embryo development and initiation of implantation in the rat. In vitro studies showed that HB-EGF improved the development of 8-cell embryos to the blastocyst stage in a concentration-dependent manner, and the growth factor had no effect on the cell number of the blastocyst developed. Intraluminal injection of an anti-HB-EGF antiserum into the uterine horns at 0600 h on day 5 of pregnancy decreased the number of implantation sites (blue dye reaction) at 0200 h on day 6. Intraluminal injection of 20 microl of HB-EGF solution (10 or 100 ng/ml) into each uterine horn induced implantation in about half of the ovariectomized progesterone-treated delayed implanting rats, and the number of implantation sites per rat increased dose-dependently. These results suggest that HB-EGF is involved in the preimplantation-embryo development and initiation of implantation in the rat.