scholarly journals Ovarian steroids regulate 24p3 expression in mouse uterus during the natural estrous cycle and the preimplantation period

1999 ◽  
Vol 162 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
HL Huang ◽  
ST Chu ◽  
YH Chen

We examined 24p3 expression in the mouse uterus at various stages of the natural estrous cycle and during the preimplantation period. The level of 24p3 mRNA appeared intensively in proestrus and estrus, then declined sharply from metestrus to diestrus. Consistent with this observation, 24p3 protein was abundant in proestrus, decreased from estrus to metestrus and declined to a very low level in diestrus. The uterine 24p3 expression closely overlapped with the estradiol (E2) surge in proestrus and estrus but it was suppressed when progesterone (P4) rose to a high level during the reproductive cycle. Neither the protein nor its message was detected in the uteri of immature mice or ovariectomized adult animals. While an injection of P4 to these animals was unable to initiate uterine 24p3 expression, administration of estrogenic steroids to these animals markedly stimulated the gene expression. Treatment of these animals with E2 together with P4, on the other hand, did not stimulate the gene expression. In pregnant animals (day 1 (D1)=day of vaginal plug), 24p3 mRNA remained at a high level on D1 and D2 but dropped to an almost undetectable level on D3 and D4. This was accompanied by a decrease in 24p3 protein from D1 to D2 and a decline in the protein to undetectable levels from D3 to D4. The staining patterns of both the immunohistochemical localization of 24p3 protein and in situ hybridization for the detection of 24p3 mRNA in the uterine sections showed that 24p3 expression took place mainly in the luminal and glandular epithelial cells of the endometrium. This together with our previous observation that 24p3 protein is found in uterine luminal fluid indicates that the protein is secreted primarily from these cells to their respective luminal surfaces during proestrus and estrus.

Reproduction ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 132 (6) ◽  
pp. 919-929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frankie J White ◽  
Robert C Burghardt ◽  
Jianbo Hu ◽  
Margaret M Joyce ◽  
Thomas E Spencer ◽  
...  

Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1, osteopontin) is the most highly upregulated extracellular matrix/adhesion molecule/cytokine in the receptive phase human uterus, and Spp1 null mice manifest decreased pregnancy rates during mid-gestation as compared with wild-type counterparts. We hypothesize that Spp1 is required for proliferation, migration, survival, adhesion, and remodeling of cells at the conceptus–maternal interface. Our objective was to define the temporal/spatial distribution and steroid regulation of Spp1 in mouse uterus during estrous cycle and early gestation.In situhybridization localizedSpp1to luminal epithelium (LE) and immune cells. LE expression was prominent at proestrus, decreased by estrus, and was nearly undetectable at diestrus. During pregnancy,Spp1mRNA was not detected in LE until day 4.5 (day 1 = vaginal plug).Spp1-expressing immune cells were scattered within the endometrial stroma throughout the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. Immunoreactive Spp1 was prominent at the apical LE surface by day 4.5 of pregnancy and Spp1 protein was also co-localized with subsets of CD45-positive (leukocytes) and F4/80-positive (macrophages) cells. In ovariectomized mice, estrogen, but not progesterone, inducedSpp1mRNA, whereas estrogen plus progesterone did not induceSpp1in LE. These results establish that estrogen regulates Spp1 in mouse LE and are the first to identify macrophages that produce Spp1 within the peri-implantation endometrium of any species. We suggest that Spp1 at the apical surface of LE provides a mechanism to bridge conceptus to LE during implantation, and that Spp1-positive macrophages within the stroma may be involved in uterine remodeling for conceptus invasion.


2002 ◽  
Vol 205 (20) ◽  
pp. 3261-3270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi K. Grønlien ◽  
Christian Stock ◽  
Marilynn S. Aihara ◽  
Richard D. Allen ◽  
Yutaka Naitoh

SUMMARYThe electric potential of the contractile vacuole (CV) of Paramecium multimicronucleatum was measured in situ using microelectrodes,one placed in the CV and the other (reference electrode) in the cytosol of a living cell. The CV potential in a mechanically compressed cell increased in a stepwise manner to a maximal value (approximately 80 mV) early in the fluid-filling phase. This stepwise change was caused by the consecutive reattachment to the CV of the radial arms, where the electrogenic sites are located. The current generated by a single arm was approximately 1.3×10-10 A. When cells adapted to a hypotonic solution were exposed to a hypertonic solution, the rate of fluid segregation, RCVC, in the contractile vacuole complex (CVC) diminished at the same time as immunological labelling for V-ATPase disappeared from the radial arms. When the cells were re-exposed to the previous hypotonic solution, the CV potential, which had presumably dropped to near zero after the cell's exposure to the hypertonic solution, gradually returned to its maximum level. This increase in the CV potential occurred in parallel with the recovery of immunological labelling for V-ATPase in the radial arm and the resumption of RCVC or fluid segregation. Concanamycin B, a potent V-ATPase inhibitor, brought about significant decreases in both the CV potential and RCVC. We confirm that (i) the electrogenic site of the radial arm is situated in the decorated spongiome, and (ii) the V-ATPase in the decorated spongiome is electrogenic and is necessary for fluid segregation in the CVC. The CV potential remained at a constant high level(approximately 80 mV), whereas RCVC varied between cells depending on the osmolarity of the adaptation solution. Moreover, the CV potential did not change even though RCVC increased when cells adapted to one osmolarity were exposed to a lower osmolarity, implying that RCVC is not directly correlated with the number of functional V-ATPase complexes present in the CVC.


2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon E. Mitchell ◽  
John J. Robinson ◽  
Margaret E. King ◽  
Lynda M. Williams

In sheep, inflammation not only functions in cervical dilation at parturition, but also plays an important part in the non-pregnant ewe cervix, as demonstrated by the high level of expression of interleukin (IL)-8 at oestrus. Ewes artificially induced to ovulate have significantly lower levels of IL-8 gene expression at oestrus compared with natural oestrus, indicating an inhibition of inflammation and function, offering an explanation for the low rates of conception in vaginally inseminated synchronised ewes. To identify potential pro-inflammatory agents to combat the anti-inflammatory effects of hormonal synchronisation of oestrus, we have investigated the role of proteinase-activated receptor (PAR)-1 and PAR-2. To localise and measure the level of expression of these receptors, ovine-specific probes were derived for PAR-1 and PAR-2 and used for quantitative in situ hybridisation in the ovine cervix. Both PAR-1 and PAR-2 were expressed in the luminal epithelium of the cervix throughout the oestrous cycle, with expression being highest at oestrus. The gene expression of PAR-2 at oestrus was approximately 30% higher than that of PAR-1. Artificial synchronisation of oestrus by either an intravaginal progesterone sponge or prostaglandin F2α injections did not inhibit PAR-1 or PAR-2 expression at oestrus; rather, in the case of PAR-2, progesterone synchronisation increased it. Both synchronising procedures increased the expression of PAR-1 and PAR-2 during the luteal phase of the cycle. Therefore, agonists of PAR-1 and PAR-2 may be potentially useful pro-inflammatory agents countering the inhibition of inflammation by hormonal synchronisation.


Reproduction ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 132 (6) ◽  
pp. 939-947 ◽  
Author(s):  
S C Fernando ◽  
J S Buck ◽  
M D Ashworth ◽  
J W Ross ◽  
R D Geisert ◽  
...  

Previous studies have suggested that the porcine endometrium may express several tissue kallikreins during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. The present study investigated porcine endometrial and conceptus tissue kallikrein 1, 4, 11, and 14 mRNA expression during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. Tissue kallikrein (KLK) gene expression was evaluated using quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. KLK1 expression was similar across the estrous cycle and early pregnancy, and localized to the endometrial luminal (L) and glandular (G) epithelium. KLK4 endometrial mRNA expression was greatest on days 0, 5, and 10 when compared with days 12, 15, and 17 of the estrous cycle and greater in cyclic compared with pregnant gilts. Expression of KLK4 was more intense in the stroma and uterine epithelium from days 0 to 10 of the estrous cycle. Endometrial KLK11 mRNA was not different between cyclic and pregnant gilts but the expression was greatest on days 10 and 12 compared with all other days evaluated. There was an increased intensity of KLK11 gene expression in the stratum compactum on day 10 of the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. Endometrial KLK14 mRNA expression was not detectable on days 5 and 10 but was expressed on days 0, 12, 15, and 17 of the estrous cycle and pregnancy. KLK14 expression was localized in the uterine L and G epithelium, and stroma throughout the endometrium after day 10. Conceptus KLK1 mRNA did not change from days 10 to 17 of gestation. However, conceptus KLK4, and 14 mRNA expression was greatest on day 10 with expression declining after day 14 of gestation. Expression of the various tissue kallikreins in the endometrium and conceptus during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy in the pig can serve in the activation of growth factors and tissue remodeling during the establishment of pregnancy.


Reproduction ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 145 (6) ◽  
pp. 577-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue-Chao Tian ◽  
Qu-Yuan Wang ◽  
Dang-Dang Li ◽  
Shou-Tang Wang ◽  
Zhan-Qing Yang ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to examine the expression and regulation of the crystallin, alpha B (Cryab) gene in mouse uterus during the peri-implantation period by in situ hybridization and real-time PCR. There was no detectable Cryab mRNA signal on days 1–4 of pregnancy. On day 5 of pregnancy when embryo implanted, a high level of Cryab mRNA signal was found in the subluminal stroma surrounding the implanting blastocyst. On days 6–8, Cryab mRNA was strongly expressed in the primary decidua. By real-time PCR, a high level of Cryab expression was detected on days 7 and 8 of pregnancy, although Cryab expression was seen from days 1 to 8. Under in vivo and in vitro artificial decidualization, Cryab expression was significantly elevated. Compared with the progesterone-primed delayed implantation uterus, a high level of Cryab mRNA expression was observed in estrogen-activated implantation uterus. In the uterine stromal cells, cAMP, estrogen, and progesterone could induce the expression of Cryab gene. In the ovariectomized mouse uterus, estrogen could also induce the expression of Cryab while progesterone inhibited its expression. Our data suggest that Cryab may play an important role during mouse embryo implantation and decidualization and that estrogen and progesterone can regulate the expression of Cryab gene.


Endocrinology ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 138 (4) ◽  
pp. 1374-1384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rossella E. Nappi ◽  
Serge Rivest

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of immune (systemic endotoxin administration) and metabolic (fasting) challenges on LHRH neuronal activity and transcription in the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis/medial preoptic area as well as on the expression of the LHRH receptor (LHRH-R) in the anterior pituitary of cycling female rats. The reproductive stages of adult female rats (200–250 g; 14 h of light; lights on at 0600 h) were verified by daily vaginal smears taken every morning for a minimum of three or four cycles before the experiment. The acute-phase response was induced via an ip injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 200μ g/100 g BW), whereas the metabolic challenge consisted of food deprivation for at least 48 h. Control and challenged rats were killed at specific times in the ovulatory cycle (1200, 1500, and 1800 h on proestrus and diestrous day 2). Frozen brains and pituitaries were mounted on a microtome, cut into 30-μm slices, and then processed for the detection of transcripts encoding either LHRH or LHRH-R by means of in situ hybridization histochemistry using intronic (heteronuclear RNA) and exonic [messenger RNA (mRNA)] riboprobes. Dual immunocytochemistry to detect Fos-immunoreactive (ir) nuclei in LHRH-ir perikarya and colocalization of LHRH mRNA with Fos protein during the day of proestrus were performed by using both in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry techniques on the same brain sections. The percentage of LHRH-ir and LHRH-expressing neurons displaying positive Fos-ir nuclei during the afternoon of proestrus was significantly inhibited 3 h after endotoxin administration. Rats exhibited an increase in the levels of LHRH primary transcript in the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis/medial preoptic area structure at 1500 h on proestrus, a phenomenon significantly attenuated by LPS injection only at this phase of the estrous cycle. On the other hand, fasting did not affect LHRH neuronal activity or gene expression in intact cycling rats, but affected these cells in animals exhibiting a disruption of the ovulatory cycle. Interestingly, LPS caused a profound down-regulation of LHRH-R gene expression in the anterior pituitary throughout the entire estrous cycle. Although food deprivation provoked a more variable pattern of LHRH-R mRNA in cycling rats, the signal for this transcript in the adenohypophysis was deeply altered in those showing a perturbed cycle. These results provide evidence that immune challenge interferes with the LHRH system at both hypothalamic and pituitary levels, whereas alteration of that neuroendocrine system in food-deprived rats seems highly associated with the impairment of reproductive cyclicity.


2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco M Pinto ◽  
C Oscar Pintado ◽  
Jocelyn N Pennefather ◽  
Eva Patak ◽  
Luz Candenas

2004 ◽  
Vol 5 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 521-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Parkinson ◽  
Stuart Aitken ◽  
Richard A. Baldock ◽  
Jonathan B. L. Bard ◽  
Albert Burger ◽  
...  

A great deal of data in functional genomics studies needs to be annotated with low-resolution anatomical terms. For example, gene expression assays based on manually dissected samples (microarray, SAGE, etc.) need high-level anatomical terms to describe sample origin. First-pass annotation in high-throughput assays (e.g. large-scalein situgene expression screens or phenotype screens) and bibliographic applications, such as selection of keywords, would also benefit from a minimum set of standard anatomical terms. Although only simple terms are required, the researcher faces serious practical problems of inconsistency and confusion, given the different aims and the range of complexity of existing anatomy ontologies. A Standards and Ontologies for Functional Genomics (SOFG) group therefore initiated discussions between several of the major anatomical ontologies for higher vertebrates. As we report here, one result of these discussions is a simple, accessible, controlled vocabulary of gross anatomical terms, the SOFG Anatomy Entry List (SAEL). The SAEL is available from http://www.sofg.org and is intended as a resource for biologists, curators, bioinformaticians and developers of software supporting functional genomics. It can be used directly for annotation in the contexts described above. Importantly, each term is linked to the corresponding term in each of the major anatomy ontologies. Where the simple list does not provide enough detail or sophistication, therefore, the researcher can use the SAEL to choose the appropriate ontology and move directly to the relevant term as an entry point. The SAEL links will also be used to support computational access to the respective ontologies.


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