Novel equine conceptus?endometrial interactions on Day 16 of pregnancy based on RNA sequencing.
Abstract: Maintenance of pregnancy is dependent on the exchange of signals between the conceptus and the endometrium. The objective of this study was to use next-generation sequencing to determine transcriptome blueprints of the conceptus and endometrium 16 days after ovulation in the horse. There were 7760 and 10 182 genes expressed in the conceptus and endometrium, respectively, of which 7029 were present in both. Genes related to developmental processes were enriched among conceptus-specific transcripts, whereas many endometrium-specific genes had known roles in cell communication, cell adhesion and response to stimuli. The integrin signalling pathway was overrepresented in both transcriptomes. In that regard, it was hypothesised that integrins ITGA5B1 and ITGAVB3 interact with conceptus-derived fibrinogen, potentially contributing to cessation of conceptus mobility. That several growth factors and their corresponding receptors (e.g. HDGF, NOV, CYR61, CTGF, HBEGF) were expressed by conceptus and endometrium were attributed to cross-talk. In addition, Cytoscape interaction analysis revealed a plethora of interactions between genes expressed by the conceptus and endometrium, during a period when the former had substantial movement within the uterus. This is the first report of concurrent transcriptome analysis of conceptus and endometrium in the mare, with numerous findings to provide rationale for further investigation.
Publication Date: 2015-05-05 PubMed ID: 25940503DOI: 10.1071/RD14489Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The study used advanced sequencing technology to map the transcriptomes of a horse’s conceptus and endometrium on the 16th day after ovulation, discovering thousands of genes expressed in both and identifying specific ones involved in developmental processes, cell communication, and response to stimuli.
Goal and Methodology
- The research intended to use next-generation sequencing to determine the transcriptome blueprints of the conceptus (the early stage of an embryo in an animal) and the endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus) in horses, 16 days post-ovulation.
- The analysis served to identify the specific genes expressed in these structures, understanding the intercommunication between them vital for maintaining pregnancy.
Key Findings
- The research found that 7760 genes were expressed in the conceptus and 10182 in the endometrium, with a total of 7029 genes shared between the two.
- Among the conceptus-specific genes were those related to developmental processes. On the other hand, many endometrium-specific genes were found to play roles in cell communication, cell adhesion, and responses to stimuli.
- The integrin signalling pathway was overrepresented in both transcriptomes, suggesting significant influence on their interaction and functioning.
Additional Insights and Hypotheses
- In addition to the findings, the study also proposed that the integrins ITGA5B1 and ITGAVB3 might interact with fibrinogen (a protein) derived from the conceptus, hence potentially contributing to the halting of conceptus mobility.
- It was also identified that several growth factors and their corresponding receptors were expressed by both the conceptus and the endometrium, indicating a phenomenon called “cross-talk”, where they might be mutually influencing each other.
- A Cytoscape interaction analysis revealed a variety of interactions between genes expressed by the conceptus and the endometrium, showing a complex network of genetic interactions during a period where the conceptus demonstrates considerable movement within the uterus.
Implications and Future Research
- This study was acknowledged as the first to analyze concurrently the transcriptomes of conceptus and endometrium in mares, unveiling several findings that provide a basis for further investigation.
- The results could aid in the understanding of early pregnancy stages in horses and potentially provide insights applicable to other mammals, including humans.
- Further research would be required to delve deeper into the functions and interactions of the specific genes identified in this research.
Cite This Article
APA
Klein C.
(2015).
Novel equine conceptus?endometrial interactions on Day 16 of pregnancy based on RNA sequencing.
Reprod Fertil Dev.
https://doi.org/10.1071/RD14489 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
Citations
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