Phospholipase C-β1 signaling affects reproductive behavior, ovulation, and implantation

Abstract

Infertility can result from a wide range of defects, from behavioral, through germ cell development and maturation, to fertilization or embryo development. Many of the hormones regulating these processes signal via G protein-coupled receptors, which in turn activate a range of plasma membrane enzymes including phospholipase C (PLC)-β isoforms. Transgenic mice lacking functional Plc-β1 (Plc-β1 KO mice) have been noted to have severely impaired fertility, but there has been little study of the reproductive processes affected by lack of this enzyme. This study examined reproductive behavior, gonadal development, fertilization, and implantation in Plc-β1 KO mice. Male and female Plc-β1 KO mice exhibited impaired reproductive behavior. No other defect in reproduction was noted in males, raising the possibility that the reduced fertility of Plc-β1 KO males could be due solely to impaired behavior. In contrast, female Plc-β1 KO mice exhibited both behavioral and nonbehavioral defects. Plc-β1 KO females ovulated only in response to exogenous hormones, with a large proportion of in vivo embryos recovered on embryonic d 4.5 exhibiting abnormal morphology. In addition, uteri of pregnant Plc-β1 KO females exhibited an implantation defect, with poor embryo attachment and a failure to up-regulate cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA. Copyright © 2009 by The Endocrine Society.