Expression of epidermal growth factor and its receptor in equine placental tissues.
Abstract: Northern blot and in situ hybridization techniques have demonstrated a marked increase in mRNA encoding epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the endometrium of mares, coincident with the start of interdigitation between the allantochorion and endometrium during placentation. In the present study, the unusually high EGF expression in the epithelium of the endometrial glands was shown to be maintained until at least day 250 of gestation (term = 320-340 days) in mares carrying normal horse conceptuses. However, in mares carrying failing donkey-in-horse pregnancies created by embryo transfer, EGF expression was severely retarded in those areas of the endometrium that were heavily infiltrated with lymphocytes and which showed a failure of placental development. Specific receptors for EGF were also detected in tissue homogenates from pregnant mares using 125I-labelled human EGF. Binding was high in the fetal membranes (allantochorion), both before implantation (days 30-34) and in the fully developed placenta (days 150-250), and was equivalent to the level of binding to homogenates of adult liver and kidney. Binding was much reduced in endometrial homogenates before implantation and from non-pregnant mares but increased after implantation to reach values equivalent to those exhibited by the fetal membranes. Scatchard analysis of displacement curves indicated a single class of high-affinity binding sites in the fetal membranes and pregnant endometrium sampled at day 150 of pregnancy and chemical cross-linking of the receptor-125I-labelled EGF complexes in fetal membranes revealed two radiolabelled bands of 170 kDa and 150 kDa. A large excess of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) failed to displace any labelled EGF from the tissue homogenates. The marked and sustained upregulation of endometrial EGF expression during pregnancy in mares, and the presence of EGF receptors in the fetal allantochorion and maternal endometrium, suggest a possible role for EGF in the marked growth of these two tissues during placentation in equids.
Publication Date: 1998-04-16 PubMed ID: 9538329DOI: 10.1530/jrf.0.1120049Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
Summary
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This research focused on the roles of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptors in the development of equine placental tissues. Through various techniques and experiments, the research team observed a marked increase in EGF during placentation, indicating a potential role for EGF in the development of equine placenta.
Increased EGF Expression During Placentation
- The study used Northern blot and in situ hybridization techniques to demonstrate a significant increase in mRNA encoding EGF in the endometrium of mares during the start of placentation.
- This increased expression was specifically notable in the epithelium of the endometrial glands and was maintained until at least day 250 of gestation in normal horse pregnancies.
Reduced EGF Expression in Failing Pregnancies
- In the case of failing donkey-in-horse pregnancies created by embryo transfer, researchers observed a substantial reduction in EGF expression in areas of the endometrium heavily infiltrated with lymphocytes, which also showed failed placental development.
EGF Receptors in Equine Tissue
- The researchers detected specific receptors for EGF in tissue samples from pregnant mares using 125I-labelled human EGF.
- They found high levels of binding in the fetal membranes (allantochorion), both before implantation (days 30-34) and in the fully developed placenta (days 150-250). This was equivalent to the level of binding observed in homogenates of adult liver and kidney.
- Binding was much reduced in endometrial homogenates before implantation and from non-pregnant mares but increased after implantation to reach values equivalent to those exhibited by the fetal membranes.
- Scatchard analysis of displacement curves indicated a single class of high-affinity binding sites in the fetal membranes and pregnant endometrium sampled at day 150 of pregnancy.
Potential Role of EGF in Placentation
- The significant and sustained upregulation of endometrial EGF expression during pregnancy, and the presence of EGF receptors in the fetal allantochorion and maternal endometrium, may suggest EGF involvement in the marked growth of these two tissues during placentation in equids.
- The fact that insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) failed to displace any labeled EGF from the tissue homogenates further reinforces the potential unique role of EGF in equine placental development.
Cite This Article
APA
Lennard SN, Gerstenberg C, Allen WR, Stewart F.
(1998).
Expression of epidermal growth factor and its receptor in equine placental tissues.
J Reprod Fertil, 112(1), 49-57.
https://doi.org/10.1530/jrf.0.1120049 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Babraham, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Allantois / metabolism
- Animals
- Blotting, Northern
- Chorion / metabolism
- Embryo Transfer
- Epidermal Growth Factor / genetics
- Equidae
- ErbB Receptors / genetics
- Female
- Gene Expression
- Horses / metabolism
- In Situ Hybridization
- Placenta / metabolism
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy, Animal / metabolism
- RNA, Messenger / analysis
Grant Funding
- NIHCD-34086 / NHLBI NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Shen Y, Ren H, Davshilt T, Tian S, Wang X, Yi M, Ulaangerel T, Li B, Dugarjav M, Bou G. The transcriptome landscapes of allantochorion and vitelline-chorion in equine day 30 conceptus. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022;10:958205.
- Cindrova-Davies T, Zhao X, Elder K, Jones CJP, Moffett A, Burton GJ, Turco MY. Menstrual flow as a non-invasive source of endometrial organoids. Commun Biol 2021 Jun 17;4(1):651.
- Alan E, Liman N, Sağsöz H. The profile of the epidermal growth factor system in rat endometrium during postpartum involution period. Vet Res Commun 2015 Jun;39(2):115-35.
- Antczak DF, de Mestre AM, Wilsher S, Allen WR. The equine endometrial cup reaction: a fetomaternal signal of significance. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2013 Jan;1:419-42.
- Cabrera-Sharp V, Read JE, Richardson S, Kowalski AA, Antczak DF, Cartwright JE, Mukherjee A, de Mestre AM. SMAD1/5 signaling in the early equine placenta regulates trophoblast differentiation and chorionic gonadotropin secretion. Endocrinology 2014 Aug;155(8):3054-64.
- Brinton RD, Thompson RF, Foy MR, Baudry M, Wang J, Finch CE, Morgan TE, Pike CJ, Mack WJ, Stanczyk FZ, Nilsen J. Progesterone receptors: form and function in brain. Front Neuroendocrinol 2008 May;29(2):313-39.
- Huppertz B. The feto-maternal interface: setting the stage for potential immune interactions. Semin Immunopathol 2007 Jun;29(2):83-94.
- Burton GJ, Jauniaux E, Charnock-Jones DS. Human early placental development: potential roles of the endometrial glands. Placenta 2007 Apr;28 Suppl A:S64-9.
- Hempstock J, Cindrova-Davies T, Jauniaux E, Burton GJ. Endometrial glands as a source of nutrients, growth factors and cytokines during the first trimester of human pregnancy: a morphological and immunohistochemical study. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2004 Jul 20;2:58.
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