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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Galectinology of Equine Pregnancy.
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2022; 13(1); doi: 10.3390/ani13010129

Galectinology of Equine Pregnancy.

Abstract: Galectins are a family of proteins that bind to glycans, acting in a cytokine-like manner throughout the body. In the majority of mammalians, galectins have been found to be involved in pregnancy maintenance, but few studies have evaluated this in the horse. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the expression of various galectins in pregnant and nonpregnant mares. Next-generation RNA sequencing was performed on the chorioallantois and endometrium of healthy pregnant mares at 120, 180, 300, and 330 days of gestation (n = 4/stage), as well as 45-day chorioallantois (n = 4), postpartum chorioallantois (n = 3), and diestrus endometrium (n = 3). In the endometrium, galectin-1 and galectin-13 were found in the highest expression in the nonpregnant mare, with decreasing levels of expression noted throughout gestation. In contrast, galectin-8 and galectin-12 were found to be the lowest in the nonpregnant mare and reached the highest expression levels in mid-gestation before declining as parturition neared. In the chorioallantois, galectin-1, galectin-3, and galectin-3BP were found to have heightened expression levels at 45 d of gestation, with lesser expression levels noted throughout gestation. In contrast, galectin-9, galectin-12, and galectin-13 experienced the highest expression levels in the late-term chorioallantois (300 d/330 d), with lesser expression noted in early- to mid-gestation. Of note, galectin-1, galectin-3BP, galectin-9, galectin-12, and galectin-13 all experienced the lowest expression levels in the postpartum placenta, with heightened expression noted during gestation. In conclusion, galectins appear to be involved in equine pregnancy, and this is dependent on both the tissue within the feto-maternal interface and the specific galectin involved.
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Publication Date: 2022-12-29 PubMed ID: 36611738PubMed Central: PMC9817698DOI: 10.3390/ani13010129Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research investigates the role and expression levels of specific proteins, called galectins, in the tissues of pregnant and nonpregnant horses. The study finds that these proteins seem to have a significant role in horse pregnancy, and their expression levels shift depending on the stage of pregnancy.

Introduction to Galectins

  • Galectins are a group of proteins that bind to glycans, which have functions like cytokines in various parts of the body.
  • In many mammals, galectins play a critical role in preserving pregnancy. However, their role in equine pregnancy has not been well-researched.

Methods and Procedures

  • To study the role of galectins in equine pregnancy, next-generation RNA sequencing was conducted on the chorioallantois and endometrium of healthy pregnant horses at different pregnancy stages: 120, 180, 300, and 330 days.
  • RNA sequencing was also conducted for 45-day chorioallantois, postpartum chorioallantois, and diestrus endometrium.

Major Findings

  • In nonpregnant horses, galectin-1 and galectin-13 were found in the highest quantity in the endometrium, and their presence decreased gradually throughout the gestation period.
  • Conversely, galectin-8 and galectin-12 were least found in the nonpregnant mares but their expression peaked during the mid-gestation period before declining as parturition neared.
  • For the chorioallantois tissue, galectin-1, galectin-3, and galectin-3BP showed increased expression levels at 45 days of gestation, with lesser expression levels noted throughout the gestation period.
  • On the other hand, galectin-9, galectin-12, and galectin-13 experienced the highest expression levels in the late-term chorioallantois, with lesser expression observed in early- to mid-gestation period.
  • Notably, in the postpartum placenta, all the galectin types studied—galectin-1, galectin-3BP, galectin-9, galectin-12, and galectin-13—showed the lowest expression levels, which increased during gestation.

Conclusions

  • The research concludes that galectins play a significant role in equine pregnancy.
  • The data indicates that the presence of specific types of galectin and the tissue within the fetus-mother interface affects galectins’ expression and role in pregnancy.

Cite This Article

APA
Fedorka CE, Ali HE, Troedsson MHT. (2022). Galectinology of Equine Pregnancy. Animals (Basel), 13(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13010129

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 1

Researcher Affiliations

Fedorka, Carleigh E
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0099, USA.
Ali, Hossam El-Sheikh
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0099, USA.
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
Troedsson, Mats H T
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0099, USA.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Fedorka CE, Ali HE, Troedsson MHT. Galectins in Equine Placental Disease. Vet Sci 2023 Mar 13;10(3).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci10030218pubmed: 36977257google scholar: lookup
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