Expression of the uterine Mx protein in cyclic and pregnant cows, gilts, and mares.
Abstract: Pregnancy and interferon-tau (IFN tau) upregulate uterine Mx gene expression in ewes; however, the only known role for Mx is in the immune response to viral infection. We hypothesize that Mx functions as a conceptus-induced component of the anti-luteolytic mechanism and/or regulator of endometrial secretion or uterine remodeling during early pregnancy. This study was conducted to determine the effects of early pregnancy on uterine Mx expression in domestic farm species with varied mechanisms of pregnancy recognition. Endometrium from cows, gilts, and mares was collected during the first 20 d of the estrous cycle or pregnancy, and total messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein were analyzed for steady-state levels of Mx mRNA and protein. Northern blot analysis of Mx mRNA detected an approximately 2.5 Kb of mRNA in endometrium from each species. In pregnant cows, steady-state levels of Mx mRNA increased 10-fold (P < 0.05) above levels observed in cyclic cows by d 15 to 18. In cyclic gilts, slot blot analysis indicated that endometrial Mx mRNA levels did not change between d 5 and 18 of the cycle. However, in pregnant gilts, Mx levels tended (P = 0.06) to be elevated two-fold on d 16 only, and in situ hybridization indicated that this increase occurred in the stroma. In mares, Mx mRNA was low, but detectable, and did not change between ovulation (d 0) and d 20, regardless of reproductive status. Western blot analysis revealed multiple immunoreactive Mx protein bands in each species. One band was specific to pregnancy in cows. As in ewes, in situ hybridization analysis indicated that Mx mRNA was strongly expressed in the luminal epithelium, stroma, and myometrium by d 18 in cows. However, on d 14 in gilts, Mx was expressed primarily in the stroma, and on d 14 in mares, low levels of Mx expression were confined largely to the luminal epithelium. The uteruses of cows, gilts, and mares express Mx, and expression is upregulated during pregnancy in cows and gilts--animals whose conceptuses secrete interferons during early pregnancy, but that possess different mechanisms for pregnancy recognition.
Publication Date: 2003-06-24 PubMed ID: 12817504DOI: 10.2527/2003.8161552xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- Non-P.H.S.
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
Summary
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This research article is about the study of the expression of the uterine Mx protein in cyclic and pregnant cows, gilts, and mares. The study aims to identify how early pregnancy affects uterine Mx expression across these domestic farm species.
Research Objectives and Hypothesis
- The main objective of this study was to understand how early pregnancy influences uterine Mx expression in domestic farm animals – cows, gilts (young female pigs), and mares (female horses).
- The researchers hypothesize that the interferon-induced Mx protein may play an essential part in preventing luteolysis (degradation of the corpus luteum in non-pregnancy) and/or regulating endometrial secretion or uterine remodeling during early pregnancy.
Methodology
- The endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus) from cows, gilts, and mares was collected during the first 20 days of the estrous cycle (the reproductive cycle in most mammals) or pregnancy.
- The collected samples were analyzed for the constant levels of Mx mRNA and protein.
- Various techniques such as Northern blot analysis for Mx mRNA, slot blot analysis for Mx mRNA levels, and Western blot analysis for Mx protein bands were used to identify Mx expression in multiple species.
Key Findings
- In cows, the constant levels of Mx mRNA drastically increased during pregnancy when compared to the expression during the non-pregnant, cyclic phase.
- In gilts, though there was no change in Mx mRNA levels during the estrous cycle, during pregnancy, the levels inclined marginally on the 16th day.
- In mares, the levels of Mx mRNA were observed to be low yet detectable and remained unchanged between ovulation and day 20, regardless of the horse’s pregnancy status.
- There was one specific band of immunoreactive Mx protein in cows that was associated with pregnancy.
- While in cows and gilts Mx protein was expressed in the luminal epithelium, stroma, and myometrium, in mares, the expression was observed primarily in the luminal epithelium.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that the uterus in cows, gilts, and mares expresses Mx protein, and its expression escalates during pregnancy specifically in cows and gilts. These domestic farm species correspondingly secrete interferons during early pregnancy but maintain diverse mechanisms for pregnancy recognition.
Cite This Article
APA
Hicks BA, Etter SJ, Carnahan KG, Joyce MM, Assiri AA, Carling SJ, Kodali K, Johnson GA, Hansen TR, Mirando MA, Woods GL, Vanderwall DK, Ott TL.
(2003).
Expression of the uterine Mx protein in cyclic and pregnant cows, gilts, and mares.
J Anim Sci, 81(6), 1552-1561.
https://doi.org/10.2527/2003.8161552x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, Center for Reproductive Biology, University of Idaho, Moscow 83844, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Blotting, Northern / veterinary
- Blotting, Western / veterinary
- Cattle
- Estrus / metabolism
- Female
- GTP-Binding Proteins / biosynthesis
- Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
- Horses
- In Situ Hybridization / veterinary
- Myxovirus Resistance Proteins
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy, Animal / metabolism
- Pregnancy, Animal / physiology
- Swine
- Uterus / metabolism
Grant Funding
- P20-RR15587-01 / NCRR NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Crites BR, Carr SN, Anderson LH, Matthews JC, Bridges PJ. Form of dietary selenium affects mRNA encoding interferon-stimulated and progesterone-induced genes in the bovine endometrium and conceptus length at maternal recognition of pregnancy.. J Anim Sci 2022 Jul 1;100(7).
- Dissanayake K, Nõmm M, Lättekivi F, Ord J, Ressaissi Y, Godakumara K, Reshi QUA, Viil J, Jääger K, Velthut-Meikas A, Salumets A, Jaakma Ü, Fazeli A. Oviduct as a sensor of embryo quality: deciphering the extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated embryo-maternal dialogue.. J Mol Med (Berl) 2021 May;99(5):685-697.
- Imakawa K, Bai R, Fujiwara H, Kusama K. Conceptus implantation and placentation: molecules related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition, lymphocyte homing, endogenous retroviruses, and exosomes.. Reprod Med Biol 2016 Jan;15(1):1-11.
- Shirozu T, Iwano H, Ogiso T, Suzuki T, Balboula AZ, Bai H, Kawahara M, Kimura K, Takahashi H, Rulan B, Kim SW, Yanagawa Y, Nagano M, Imakawa K, Takahashi M. Estrous cycle stage-dependent manner of type I interferon-stimulated genes induction in the bovine endometrium.. J Reprod Dev 2017 Jun 21;63(3):211-220.
- Lv Y, Jin Y, Zhou Y, Jin J, Ma Z, Ren Z. Deep sequencing of transcriptome profiling of GSTM2 knock-down in swine testis cells.. Sci Rep 2016 Dec 1;6:38254.
- Shirozu T, Sasaki K, Kawahara M, Yanagawa Y, Nagano M, Yamauchi N, Takahashi M. Expression dynamics of bovine MX genes in the endometrium and placenta during early to mid pregnancy.. J Reprod Dev 2016;62(1):29-35.
- Geisert RD, Lucy MC, Whyte JJ, Ross JW, Mathew DJ. Cytokines from the pig conceptus: roles in conceptus development in pigs.. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2014;5(1):51.
- Kim MS, Min KS, Imakawa K. Regulation of Interferon-stimulated Gene (ISG)12, ISG15, and MX1 and MX2 by Conceptus Interferons (IFNTs) in Bovine Uterine Epithelial Cells.. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci 2013 Jun;26(6):795-803.
- Bazer FW, Song G, Kim J, Dunlap KA, Satterfield MC, Johnson GA, Burghardt RC, Wu G. Uterine biology in pigs and sheep.. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2012 Jul 16;3(1):23.
- Walker CG, Meier S, Littlejohn MD, Lehnert K, Roche JR, Mitchell MD. Modulation of the maternal immune system by the pre-implantation embryo.. BMC Genomics 2010 Aug 13;11:474.
- Spencer TE, Bazer FW. Conceptus signals for establishment and maintenance of pregnancy.. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2004 Jul 5;2:49.
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