Dickkopf-related protein 1 is a progestomedin acting on the bovine embryo during the morula-to-blastocyst transition to program trophoblast elongation.

ABSTRACT: Progesterone regulates the endometrium to support pregnancy establishment and maintenance. In the ruminant, one action of progesterone early in pregnancy is to alter embryonic development and hasten the process of trophoblast elongation around day 14-15 of pregnancy, which is required for maternal recognition of pregnancy. Here we demonstrate that the WNT antagonist DKK1, whose expression is increased by progesterone treatment, can act on the bovine embryo during day 5 to 7.5 of development (the morula to blastocyst stage) to promote embryonic elongation on day 15 of pregnancy. Embryos were produced in vitro and exposed to 0 or 100 ng/ml recombinant human DKK1 from day 5 to 7.5 of culture. Blastocysts were transferred into synchronized recipient cows on day 7.5 (n = 23 for control and 17 f

SUBMITTER: Tribulo P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6694114 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature