Menstrual stage-specific expression of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor-alpha in human oviduct epithelium and their role in early embryogenesis.

We studied the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha in human oviduct epithelium at various menstrual stages. Immunohistochemical stainings using anti-EGF and anti-TGF alpha antibodies showed a specific staining in ampullary oviduct epithelium at late follicular and luteal stages, but the stainings were very weak at early follicular stage. Quantitative reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction, using beta-actin messenger RNA as an internal standard, revealed the menstrual stage-specific expression of EGF and TGF alpha gene transcripts: relative amounts of EGF and TGF alpha messenger RNA to those of beta-actin were 1.5 +/- 1.9% (mean +/- SD) and 1.4 +/- 0.6% (n = 3) at early follicular, 16.5 +/- 4.9% and 12.6 +/- 2.6% (n = 3) at late follicular, and 18.9 +/- 2.2% and 13.8 +/- 3.2% (n = 3) at luteal stages, respectively. The expression of these growth factors was in proportion to the increase in serum estradiol but not to progesterone levels. To cla...