Expression Of AIF In Mouse Uterus During Early Pregnancy

Apoptosis inducing factor(AIF) is the flavin binding protein coded by karyogene, which exists in the intermembrane space of mitochondria. It plays a vital role in the participation of oxidation resratory chain and the maintaining of mitochondrial morphology. What’s more, AIF is a kind of caspase-independent apoptosis factor. With the stimulation of endogenous apoptosis, the AIF in the intermembrane space of mitochondria(-62kDa) will be hydrolyzed into the AIF with apoptotic activity(-57kDa) by protease. Then it will be released into cytoplasm and be transferred into cell nucleus, which will lead to the condensation of chromatin and the fragmentation of DNA, and then cause the programmed death of cell.In this study, Western Blot and immunohistochemistry have been applied to the detection of expression status of AIF in the mouse’s uterine during its early pregnancy. The result of immunohistochemistry showed that AIF signals of moderate intensity could be observed in the matrix around the implanted blastocyst in the fifth day. AIF signals of intensity could be observed in the primary and secondary decidual zones between the sixth and the eighth day, and it showed a trend of increase gradually. The consequence of Western Blot found that 62kDa AIF with physiological activity could be detected in all eight days, and it showed a trend of increase from the sixth day to the last as well. The results show that AIF may use its redox activity instead of apoptosis inducing activity to play a role in embryo implantation of mouse.