Progesterone stimulates expression of follistatin splice variants Fst288 and Fst315 in the mouse uterus

Abstract

Follistatin, an inhibitor of activin A, has key regulatory roles in the female reproductive tract. Follistatin has two splice variants: FST288, largely associated with cell surfaces, and FST315, the predominant circulating form. The mechanism regulating uterine expression of these variants is unknown. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to measure expression of follistatin splice variants (Fst288, Fst315), the activin βA subunit (Inhba) and the inhibin α subunit (Inha) in uterine tissues during early pregnancy (days 1-4, preimplantation) and in response to exogenous 17β-oestradiol (single s.c. injection) and progesterone (three daily s.c. injections) in ovariectomized mice. Uterine Fst288, Fst315 a..