Expression of the genes for TGF alpha, EGF and the EGF receptor during early pig development

Expression of mRNA for transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) during early pig development was evaluated by reverse transcription-PCR. In the unfertilised pig oocyte, maternal transcripts for EGF, but not for TGF alpha or the EGF-R, were detected. Pig conceptuses were analysed at days 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 18 and 22 of pregnancy. EGF-R mRNA was detected at all stages of conceptus development analysed. Interestingly, TGF alpha mRNA was expressed by the developing blastocyst only at days 8, 10 and 12 of pregnancy, with the highest levels apparent at day 10. In contrast, EGF mRNA was first expressed by the post-elongation conceptus at around day 15 of pregnancy with levels continuing to increase up to day 22. In the day-18 and day-22 conceptuses, this EGF message was shown to be primarily a product of the embryo-amnion and not the placental membranes. Furthermore, EGF was immunolocalised in the day-22 embryo to the developing lung bud, gut loop and amnion. In summary, the expression pattern of TGF alpha mRNA during early pig development is coincident with the onset of blastocyst elongation and suggests a possible role for TGF alpha during this period of cellular remodelling. The temporal and spatial expression of EGF mRNA and protein suggests a possible involvement for EGF in the establishment of the early organ systems.