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Veterinary sciences2023; 10(3); 218; doi: 10.3390/vetsci10030218

Galectins in Equine Placental Disease.

Abstract: Galectins are proteins that bind to glycans in targeted cells and function in cell-to-cell signaling throughout the body. Galectins have been found to be involved in various reproductive processes, including placental dysfunction, but this has not been investigated in the horse. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess alterations in galectin expression of the abnormal placenta in pregnant mares. Next-generation RNA sequencing was performed on the postpartum chorioallantois of two placental pathologies following clinical cases of ascending placentitis (n = 7) and focal mucoid placentitis (n = 4), while chorioallantois from healthy postpartum pregnancies (n = 8; 4 control samples per disease group) served as the control. When evaluating ascending placentitis, both galectin-1 ( < 0.001) and galectin-3BP ( = 0.05) increased in the postpartum chorioallantois associated with disease, while galectin-8 ( < 0.0001) and galectin-12 ( < 0.01) decreased in the diseased chorioallantois in comparison with those in the control. In mares with focal mucoid placentitis, numerous galectins increased in the diseased chorioallantois, and this included galectin-1 ( < 0.01), galectin-3BP ( = 0.03), galectin-9 ( = 0.02), and galectin-12 ( = 0.04), in addition to a trend toward increases in galectin-3 ( = 0.08) and galectin-13 ( = 0.09). In contrast, galectin-8 expression decreased ( = 0.04) in the diseased chorioallantois in comparison with that of the controls. In conclusion, galectins alter in abnormal placentae with variations observed among two forms of placental pathologies. These cytokine-like proteins may further our understanding of placental pathophysiology and warrant attention as potential markers of placental inflammation and dysfunction in the horse.
Publication Date: 2023-03-13 PubMed ID: 36977257PubMed Central: PMC10053007DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10030218Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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The research investigates how galectins, proteins involved in cell-to-cell signaling, change in abnormal horse placentas, especially ones associated with two forms of placental disease: ascending placentitis and focal mucoid placentitis.

Objective of the Study

  • The main goal of this research was to explore how galectin expression changes in the aberrant placentas of pregnant mares. This was achieved by examining the postpartum chorioallantois — a portion of the placenta — in cases of two specific placental conditions, contrasted with healthy pregnancies.

Methodology of the Study

  • The researchers leveraged next-generation RNA sequencing which is a powerful tool to detect RNA molecules and analyze gene expression.
  • The samples consisted of postpartum chorioallantois from clinical cases of ascending placentitis (7 instances) and focal mucoid placentitis (4 instances). The researchers also used chorioallantois from healthy postpartum pregnancies (8 instances) to serve as the control group.

Results of the Study

  • In instances of ascending placentitis, an increase in galectin-1 and galectin-3BP was observed in the chorioallantois associated with the disease, while decreased levels of galectin-8 and galectin-12 were recorded within the diseased samples in comparison to the controls.
  • Regarding the mares with focal mucoid placentitis, many galectins demonstrated increased levels in the chorioallantois including galectin-1, galectin-3BP, galectin-9, and galectin-12. They also reported a trend showing potential increases in galectin-3 and galectin-13. In contrast, the expression of galectin-8 decreased in the abnormal chorioallantois compared to that of the controls.

Conclusion of the Study

  • The results show that galectin expression alters in abnormal placentas among two types of placental pathologies. The research demonstrates that these changes could contribute further understanding to placental pathophysiology, and positions galectins as potential markers for placental inflammation and dysfunction in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Fedorka CE, Ali HE, Troedsson MHT. (2023). Galectins in Equine Placental Disease. Vet Sci, 10(3), 218. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10030218

Publication

ISSN: 2306-7381
NlmUniqueID: 101680127
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 3
PII: 218

Researcher Affiliations

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

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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