Impaired lung development and altered expression of genes involved in toll-like receptor signaling pathway in mouse fetuses generated through the transfer of in vitro- and in vivo-derived blastocysts

Toll-like receptors (TLR), pattern-recognition receptors responsible for the recognition of various microorganisms and tissue-derived danger signals, are indispensable components of the innate immune system. It is important to note that the expression of TLRs during fetal period is developmentally regulated in such a way that the expression of TLRs increases in a steady-state manner with increasing fetal weight. Although it is well established that assisted reproduction is associated with reduced fetal growth in various species, it remains to be determined whether or not ART alters the expression of TLRs as well as genes involved in TLR-signaling pathway within this critical period of life. Given that the portal of pathogen entry into a neonate is primarily through the respiratory tract, we aimed in the present study to test if the expression of genes involved in TLR-signaling pathway is altered in the lung tissue of fetuses generated through in vitro culture and embryo transfer.

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