IGF-I overexpression causes fetal loss during placentation in mice

Abstract

To understand the role of IGF-I in murine pregnancy, we studied the reproductive performance of IGF-I overexpressed mice. Fetal loss occurred only in the transfected uterine horn during Day 10-15 of pregnancy. The placenta appeared healthy until Day 10 of pregnancy. From Day 12, the decidua basalis of the transfected horn increased in thickness. The vascular lumen was expanded, and most of embryos were dead. Uterine Natural Killer cells did not undergo apoptosis from Day 10 to Day 15 when they usually go through apoptosis. Thus, it is likely that IGF-I plays a role in the decidual formation through regulation of uNK cells. This is the first report to demonstrate that IGF-I overexpression can cause fetal loss during murine placentation.