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Biology of reproduction2010; 83(1); 102-113; doi: 10.1095/biolreprod.109.081612

Transcriptional profiling of equine endometrium during the time of maternal recognition of pregnancy.

Abstract: Establishment and maintenance of pregnancy are critically dependent on embryo-maternal communication during the preimplantation period. To gain new insights into this complex process in the horse, transcriptional profiling of Day 13.5 pregnant and cyclic endometrial tissue samples was carried out using custom-designed microarrays. Selected array data were validated using quantitative RT-PCR, and proteins of interest were localized using immunohistochemistry. One hundred and six transcripts were up-regulated, whereas 47 transcripts showed lower expression levels in pregnant mares, that is, were down-regulated in pregnant mares. Half of the genes with known or inferred function are classically regulated by estrogens. Elevated transcript levels were found for genes involved in cell-cell signaling, heat shock response, and secretory proteins, among others. Solute carrier family 36 (proton/amino acid symporter), member 2, SLC36A2, was one of the most highly up-regulated genes, potentially reflecting the nutritional needs of the rapidly developing embryo. Among the genes showing lower expression in pregnant mares, estrogen receptor 1 was of particular interest because of its potential involvement in the initiation of luteolysis in cyclic mares. We hypothesize that either conceptus' estrogens or luteinizing hormone of uterine origin is involved in the observed down-regulation of estrogen receptor 1. Several of the genes identified in the current study are known to play a role in early pregnancy in species other than the horse. Thus, products of these commonly expressed genes likely contain universal activities for controlling endometrial receptivity to the conceptus, whereas other factors play unique roles within specific species in ensuring ongoing corpus luteum function. This is the first systematic study of endometrial transcriptome changes in response to the presence of an embryo during maternal recognition of pregnancy and an important step toward deciphering the embryo-maternal dialogue in equids.
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Publication Date: 2010-03-24 PubMed ID: 20335638DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.109.081612Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

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 article examines the changes in the horse’s endometrium during the time of maternal recognition of pregnancy, which is the communication between the embryo and the mare. The study utilized transcriptional profiling to identify the differences in gene expression.

Methodology and General Findings

  • The study used custom-designed microarrays for transcriptional profiling, allowing detailed observation of gene expression in Day 13.5 pregnant and cyclic endometrial tissue samples from horses.
  • Quantitative RT-PCR was used to validate the selected array data, while immunohistochemistry helped to identify proteins obtained from the gene data.
  • Of the gene transcripts tested, 106 were upregulated and 47 were downregulated in pregnant mares, indicating changes in gene expression levels during pregnancy.
  • Half of the genes that show known or inferred function were classified as being regulated by estrogens, a type of hormone that plays a significant role in pregnancy.

Specific Findings

  • The genes with elevated transcript levels were mainly involved in cell-cell signaling, heat shock response, and secretory proteins.
  • One of the highly upregulated genes was SLC36A2, which is part of the Solute carrier family 36, and may reflect the nutritional requirements of the growing embryo.
  • The study took particular note of the estrogen receptor 1 gene, which exhibited lower expression in pregnant mares. The researchers hypothesized that this could be due to its role in initiating luteolysis, a process involved in the menstrual cycle, in cyclic mares.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The research hypothesized that the reduced expression of the estrogen receptor 1 gene could be influenced by the estrogens from the conceptus or luteinizing hormone of uterine origin.
  • Some of the genes identified in this study are already known to play roles in early pregnancy in species other than horses. These findings suggest there could be common factors controlling endometrial receptivity to the conceptus across species.
  • The results of the first systematic study of the changes in endometrial transcriptome in response to the presence of the embryo provide significant contributions toward understanding the embryo-maternal dialogue in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Klein C, Scoggin KE, Ealy AD, Troedsson MH. (2010). Transcriptional profiling of equine endometrium during the time of maternal recognition of pregnancy. Biol Reprod, 83(1), 102-113. https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod.109.081612

Publication

Biology of reproduction
ISSN: 1529-7268
NlmUniqueID: 0207224
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 83
Issue: 1
Pages: 102-113

Researcher Affiliations

Klein, Claudia
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. claudia.klein@uky.edu
Scoggin, Kirsten E
    Ealy, Alan D
      Troedsson, Mats H T

        MeSH Terms

        • Animals
        • Computational Biology
        • Endometrium / metabolism
        • Estrous Cycle / metabolism
        • Female
        • Gene Expression Profiling
        • Horses / metabolism
        • Humans
        • Immunohistochemistry
        • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
        • Pregnancy / metabolism
        • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

        Citations

        This article has been cited 38 times.
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