Oestradiol transmission from males to females in the context of the Bruce and Vandenbergh effects in mice (Mus musculus)

Male mice actively direct their urine at nearby females, and this urine reliably contains unconjugated oestradiol (E2) and other steroids. Giving inseminated females minute doses of exogenous E2, either systemically or intranasally, can cause failure of blastocyst implantation. Giving juvenile females minute doses of exogenous E2 promotes measures of reproductive maturity such as uterine mass. Here we show that tritium-labelled E2 (3H-E2) can be traced from injection into novel male mice to tissues of cohabiting inseminated and juvenile females. We show the presence of 3H-E2 in male excretions, transmission to the circulation of females and arrival in the female reproductive tract. In males, 3H-E2 given systemically was readily found in reproductive tissues and was especially abundant in bladder urine. In females, 3H-E2 was found to enter the system via both nasal and percutaneous routes, and was measurable in the uterus and other tissues. As supraoptimal E2 levels can both interfere with blastocyst implantation in inseminated females and promote uterine growth in juvenile females, we suggest that absorption of male-excreted E2 can account for major aspects of the Bruce and Vandenbergh effects.

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Kisspeptin modulates fertilization capacity of mouse spermatozoa

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/rep-13-0368 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 147 (6) ◽

pp. 835-845 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Meng-Chieh Hsu ◽

Jyun-Yuan Wang ◽

Yue-Jia Lee ◽

De-Shien Jong ◽

Kuan-Hao Tsui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Tract ◽

Expression Profiles ◽

Female Reproductive Tract ◽

Response To Treatment ◽

Immunofluorescent Staining ◽

Seminiferous Tubules ◽

Reproductive Tissues ◽

Male Gametes ◽

Regulatory Systems ◽

Fertilization Capacity

Kisspeptin acts as an upstream regulator of the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonad axis, which is one of the main regulatory systems for mammalian reproduction.Kiss1and its receptorKiss1r(also known as G protein-coupled receptor 54 (Gpr54)) are expressed in various organs, but their functions are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression profiles and functions of kisspeptin and KISS1R in the reproductive tissues of imprinting control region mice. To identify the expression pattern and location of kisspeptin and KISS1R in gonads, testes and ovarian tissues were examined by immunohistochemical or immunofluorescent staining. Kisspeptin and KISS1R were expressed primarily in Leydig cells and seminiferous tubules respectively. KISS1R was specifically localized in the acrosomal region of spermatids and mature spermatozoa. Kisspeptin, but not KISS1R, was expressed in the cumulus–oocyte complex and oviductal epithelium of ovarian and oviductal tissues. The sperm intracellular calcium concentrations significantly increased in response to treatment with kisspeptin 10 in Fluo-4-loaded sperm. The IVF rates decreased after treatment of sperm with the kisspeptin antagonist peptide 234. These results suggest that kisspeptin and KISS1R might be involved in the fertilization process in the female reproductive tract. In summary, this study indicates that kisspeptin and KISS1R are expressed in female and male gametes, respectively, and in mouse reproductive tissues. These data strongly suggest that the kisspeptin system could regulate mammalian fertilization and reproduction.

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New Insights into Development of Female Reproductive Tract—Hedgehog-Signal Response in Wolffian Tissues Directly Contributes to Uterus Development

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22031211 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 1211

Author(s):

Ryuma Haraguchi ◽

Gen Yamada ◽

Aki Murashima ◽

Daisuke Matsumaru ◽

Riko Kitazawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sonic Hedgehog ◽

Cell Tracking ◽

Reproductive Tract ◽

Female Reproductive Tract ◽

Mouse Uterus ◽

Uterine Growth ◽

Mullerian Ducts ◽

Radial Axis ◽

Hedgehog Signal

The reproductive tract in mammals emerges from two ductal systems during embryogenesis: Wolffian ducts (WDs) and Mullerian ducts (MDs). Most of the female reproductive tract (FRT) including the oviducts, uterine horn and cervix, originate from MDs. It is widely accepted that the formation of MDs depends on the preformed WDs within the urogenital primordia. Here, we found that the WD mesenchyme under the regulation of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is closely related to the developmental processes of the FRT during embryonic and postnatal periods. Deficiency of Sonic hedgehog (Shh), the only Hh ligand expressed exclusively in WDs, prevents the MD mesenchyme from affecting uterine growth along the radial axis. The in vivo cell tracking approach revealed that after WD regression, distinct cells responding to WD-derived Hh signal continue to exist in the developing FRT and gradually contribute to the formation of various tissues such as smooth muscle, endometrial stroma and vascular vessel, in the mouse uterus. Our study thus provides a novel developmental mechanism of FRT relying on WD.

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288. The post-insemination inflammatory response in the ewe

Reproduction Fertility and Development ◽

10.1071/srb05abs288 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 17 (9) ◽

pp. 121 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J. L. Scott ◽

N. Ketheesan ◽

P. M. Summers

Keyword(s):

Inflammatory Response ◽

Reproductive Tract ◽

Female Reproductive Tract ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Tissue Samples ◽

Gm Csf ◽

Reproductive Tissues ◽

Cell Counts ◽

Macrophage Colony ◽

Uterine Body

Insemination causes an inflammatory response in the female reproductive tract of many species. The cytokine/leukocyte network initiated during this reaction is believed to enhance reproductive success.1 This study investigated the post-insemination inflammatory response in the ewe. Fifteen nonparous ewes were mated with the same ram for 1 h and their reproductive tracts were collected 3, 6, 18, 24 or 48 h later. Another fifteen ewes were used as controls. Tissue samples and luminal mucus were collected from 10 sites in each reproductive tract and stained with haematoxylin and eosin, Diffquik and immunohistochemically using a monoclonal CD68 antibody to quantify neutrophils, eosinophils and macrophages. Presence of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was investigated using immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Neutrophils and macrophages increased in reproductive tissues following insemination. Mean cell counts in 1.5-mm2 tissue of mated (M) and control (C) ewes demonstrated a peak in neutrophils at 6–18 h post-insemination with significant differences (P < 0.05) between mated and controls in the posterior cervix (M = 23.7; C = 4.1) and uterine body (M = 34.5; C = 11.5). Macrophages peaked at 18–24 h with significant differences (P < 0.05) between mated and controls in the vagina (M=13.4; C = 4.6), posterior cervix (M = 10.4; C = 2.7), mid-cervix (M = 8.5; C = 3.0) and ipsilateral mid-uterine horn (M = 14.2; C = 7.9). Neutrophils increased in the lumen of the cervix and uterine body following insemination but macrophage numbers did not change. Insemination did not affect eosinophils. IL-8 and GM-CSF were detected in endometrial epithelial cells in mated and non-mated ewes. Highest concentrations of IL-8 were found in vaginal mucus. Small quantities of GM-CSF were detected in occasional mucus samples. No difference between mated and non-mated ewes was demonstrated for either cytokine. In conclusion, the post-insemination inflammatory reaction in the ewe involves an increase in neutrophils and macrophages in reproductive tissues, with neutrophils crossing the epithelium into the lumen. There was no apparent increase in IL-8 or GM-CSF in response to insemination. (1)Robertson SA et al. (1997) American Journal of Reproductive Immunology 37, 438–442.

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Colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) in pregnancy

Reproductive Medicine Review ◽

10.1017/s0962279900000454 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 83-97 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Eric Daiter ◽

Jeffrey W Pollard

Keyword(s):

Growth Factors ◽

Sex Steroids ◽

Reproductive Tract ◽

Female Reproductive Tract ◽

Colony Stimulating Factor ◽

Decidual Cells ◽

Uterine Growth ◽

Gynaecological Tumours ◽

Stimulating Factor ◽

In Pregnancy

Uterine growth factors appear to play a role in the regulation of pregnancy. One of these, colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1), synthesized by the uterine epithelium under the control of female sex steroids, has been shown to have important functions both before implantation and during the formation of the placenta. In the female reproductive tract the CSF-1 receptor, the product of the c-fms proto-oncogene, is expressed in decidual cells, trophoblasts and macrophages, indicating that these cells are the primary targets for CSF-1. This article reviews the biology of CSF-1 during gestation as well as the possible involvement of CSF-1 and its receptor in the aetiology of gynaecological tumours.

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Unusual interplay of contrasting selective pressures on β-defensin genes implicated in male fertility of the Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

BMC Evolutionary Biology ◽

10.1186/s12862-019-1535-8 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vipul Batra ◽

Avinash Maheshwarappa ◽

Komal Dagar ◽

Sandeep Kumar ◽

Apoorva Soni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Tract ◽

Mammalian Species ◽

Sequence Divergence ◽

Bubalus Bubalis ◽

Spatial Variations ◽

Female Reproductive Tract ◽

Surface Binding ◽

Reproductive Tissues ◽

Sperm Surface ◽

Molecular Functions

Abstract Background The buffalo, despite its superior milk-producing ability, suffers from reproductive limitations that constrain its lifetime productivity. Male sub-fertility, manifested as low conception rates (CRs), is a major concern in buffaloes. The epididymal sperm surface-binding proteins which participate in the sperm surface remodelling (SSR) events affect the survival and performance of the spermatozoa in the female reproductive tract (FRT). A mutation in an epididymal secreted protein, beta-defensin 126 (DEFB-126/BD-126), a class-A beta-defensin (CA-BD), resulted in decreased CRs in human cohorts across the globe. To better understand the role of CA-BDs in buffalo reproduction, this study aimed to identify the BD genes for characterization of the selection pressure(s) acting on them, and to identify the most abundant CA-BD transcript in the buffalo male reproductive tract (MRT) for predicting its reproductive functional significance. Results Despite the low protein sequence homology with their orthologs, the CA-BDs have maintained the molecular framework and the structural core vital to their biological functions. Their coding-sequences in ruminants revealed evidence of pervasive purifying and episodic diversifying selection pressures. The buffalo CA-BD genes were expressed in the major reproductive and non-reproductive tissues exhibiting spatial variations. The Buffalo BD-129 (BuBD-129) was the most abundant and the longest CA-BD in the distal-MRT segments and was predicted to be heavily O-glycosylated. Conclusions The maintenance of the structural core, despite the sequence divergence, indicated the conservation of the molecular functions of the CA-BDs. The expression of the buffalo CA-BDs in both the distal-MRT segments and non-reproductive tissues indicate the retention the primordial microbicidal activity, which was also predicted by in silico sequence analyses. However, the observed spatial variations in their expression across the MRT hint at their region-specific roles. Their comparison across mammalian species revealed a pattern in which the various CA-BDs appeared to follow dissimilar evolutionary paths. This pattern appears to maintain only the highly efficacious CA-BD alleles and diversify their functional repertoire in the ruminants. Our preliminary results and analyses indicated that BuBD-129 could be the functional ortholog of the primate DEFB-126. Further studies are warranted to assess its molecular functions to elucidate its role in immunity, reproduction and fertility.

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Sexual transmission of murine papillomavirus (MmuPV1) in Mus musculus

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.50056 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Megan E Spurgeon ◽

Paul F Lambert

Keyword(s):

Mus Musculus ◽

Reproductive Tract ◽

Sexual Transmission ◽

Human Papillomaviruses ◽

Laboratory Animals ◽

Study Endpoint ◽

Male Mice ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Female Mice ◽

Model Animal

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the most common sexually transmitted infectious agents. Because of the species specificity of HPVs, study of their natural transmission in laboratory animals is not possible. The papillomavirus, MmuPV1, which infects laboratory mice (Mus musculus), can cause infections in the female cervicovaginal epithelium of immunocompetent mice that progress to cancer. Here, we provide evidence that MmuPV1 is sexually transmitted in unmanipulated, immunocompetent male and female mice. Female 'donor' mice experimentally infected with MmuPV1 in their lower reproductive tract were housed with unmanipulated male mice. The male mice were then transferred to cages holding 'recipient' female mice. One third of the female recipient mice acquired cervicovaginal infections. Prolonged infections were verified by histopathology and in situ hybridization analyses of both male and recipient female mice at the study endpoint. These findings indicate that MmuPV1 is a new model animal papillomavirus with which to study sexually transmission of papillomaviruses.

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Oviductal Retention of Embryos in Female Mice Lacking Estrogen Receptor α in the Isthmus and the Uterus

Endocrinology ◽

10.1210/endocr/bqz033 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 161 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Gerardo G B Herrera ◽

Sydney L Lierz ◽

Emily A Harris ◽

Lauren J Donoghue ◽

Sylvia C Hewitt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Estrogen Receptor ◽

Reproductive Tract ◽

Estrogen Receptor Α ◽

Female Reproductive Tract ◽

Conditional Knockout ◽

Developmental Defect ◽

Female Reproduction ◽

Serum Progesterone ◽

Reproductive Tissues ◽

Embryo Transport

Abstract Estrogen receptor α (ESR1; encoded by Esr1) is a crucial nuclear transcription factor for female reproduction and is expressed throughout the female reproductive tract. To assess the function of ESR1 in reproductive tissues without confounding effects from a potential developmental defect arising from global deletion of ESR1, we generated a mouse model in which Esr1 was specifically ablated during postnatal development. To accomplish this, a progesterone receptor Cre line (PgrCre) was bred with Esr1f/f mice to create conditional knockout of Esr1 in reproductive tissues (called PgrCreEsr1KO mice) beginning around 6 days after birth. In the PgrCreEsr1KO oviduct, ESR1 was most efficiently ablated in the isthmic region. We found that at 3.5 days post coitus (dpc), embryos were retrieved from the uterus in control littermates while all embryos were retained in the PgrCreEsr1KO oviduct. Additionally, serum progesterone (P4) levels were significantly lower in PgrCreEsr1KO compared to controls at 3.5 dpc. This finding suggests that expression of ESR1 in the isthmus and normal P4 levels allow for successful embryo transport from the oviduct to the uterus. Therefore, alterations in oviductal isthmus ESR1 signaling and circulating P4 levels could be related to female infertility conditions such as tubal pregnancy.

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Sterility in mutant (tLx/tLy) male mice

Development ◽

10.1242/dev.59.1.49 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 59 (1) ◽

pp. 49-58

Author(s):

James McGrath ◽

Nina Hillman

Keyword(s):

Male Sterility ◽

Reproductive Tract ◽

Female Reproductive Tract ◽

Male Mice ◽

Fertilizing Ability ◽

Specific Barriers

Mice which are heterozygous for two complementary lethal t mutations (t6/tw32) exhibit complete male sterility. Experiments have been conducted to determine if spermatozoa from these heterozygous males can fertilize oviducal ova in vitro. The experiments have been designed so that specific barriers which are present during in vivo fertilization can be sequentially removed and the fertilizing ability of the spermatozoa tested after each barrier is eliminated. Our results show that spermatozoa from t6/tw32 males are unable to effect fertilization even after all of the barriers normally imposed by the female reproductive tract have been removed.

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Absorption and distribution of estradiol from male seminal emissions during mating

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1530/joe-16-0247 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 231 (3) ◽

pp. 245-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Denys deCatanzaro ◽

Tyler Pollock

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Tract ◽

Female Reproductive Tract ◽

Young Males ◽

Copulatory Plug ◽

Blastocyst Implantation ◽

Male To Female ◽

The Brain ◽

Estradiol 17Β ◽

Copulatory Plugs ◽

Female Maturation

Estradiol-17β (E2) plays critical roles in female maturation, sexual receptivity, ovulation and fertility. In many mammals, contact with males can similarly affect these female parameters, whereas male excretions contain significant quantities of E2. We administered radiolabeled estradiol ([3H]E2) to male mice in doses representing a small fraction of their endogenous E2. These males were paired with sexually receptive females, and radioactivity was traced into the females’ systems. In Experiment 1, males were given [3H]E2 at 24 and 1 h before mating. Male-to-female [3H]E2 transfer intensified with increasing numbers of intromissions and spiked in the uterus after insemination. In Experiment 2, sexually experienced young males received [3H]E2 at 72 and 24 h before mating, and all mated to ejaculation. The copulatory plug deposited in the female reproductive tract contained substantial levels of radioactivity. The uteri, other tissues and blood serum of females displayed radioactivity indicative of E2 transfer. In Experiment 3, radioactivity was observed 3 and 18 h after insemination in the females’ uteri and other tissues, including parts of the brain. In Experiment 4, we observed substantial levels of radioactivity in semen as well as the copulatory plugs retrieved from the females after mating. Transferred E2 could directly affect abundant estrogen receptors in the female reproductive tract without potential metabolism by the liver. Sexually transferred E2 may facilitate uterine preparation for blastocyst implantation. These data converge with several lines of evidence indicating that male-sourced E2 can transfer to proximate females in bioactive form, contributing to various mammalian pheromonal effects.

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Effect of Contraceptive Steroids on the Endometrium of Guinea Pig: SEM study

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100080766 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 668-669

Author(s):

Mai M. Said ◽

Ramesh K. Nayak ◽

Randall E. McCoy

Keyword(s):

Guinea Pig ◽

Reproductive Tract ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Female Reproductive Tract ◽

Human Female ◽

Surface Ultrastructure ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Sem Study ◽

Uterine Mucosa ◽

Group 1

Burgos and Wislocki described changes in the mucosa of the guinea pig uterus, cervix and vagina during the estrous cycle investigated by transmission electron microscopy. More recently, Moghissi and Reame reported the effects of progestational agents on the human female reproductive tract. They found drooping and shortening of cilia in norgestrel and norethindrone- treated endometria. To the best of our knowledge, no studies concerning the effects of mestranol and norethindrone given concurrently on the three-dimensional surface features on the uterine mucosa of the guinea pig have been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mestranol and norethindrone on surface ultrastructure of guinea pig uterus by SEM.Seventy eight animals were used in this study. They were allocated into two groups. Group 1 (20 animals) was injected intramuscularly 0.1 ml vegetable oil and served as controls.

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