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Transcriptome profile of the anterior pituitary gland in pigs during maternal recognition of pregnancy

ABSTRACT: The knowledge regarding the reproductive-status-related changes occurring within the transcriptome of the porcine pituitary is limited. This study aimed to compare pituitary gland gene expression profiles of pigs during the maternal recognition of pregnancy period (days 12-13 of pregnancy) with pigs during the respective days of the estrous cycle using a microarray approach. Analysis indicated 482 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with a FC ≥ 1.5 (p < 0.05) in the pituitary of pregnant vs. estrous-cyclic pigs. Among them, 68 were up-regulated and 414 were down-regulated. The evaluated DEGs were annotated to 39 gene ontology (GO) biological processes terms, 13 GO cellular components terms, and 10 GO molecular function terms. Among the evaluated DEGs were selected genes coding for proteins potentially involved in the regulation of early pregnancy in pigs and used for gene interaction analysis and validation of microarray results. Analysis of the relationships among DEGs during maternal recognition of pregnancy showed that some of them are connected with, i.e., TGFβ signaling pathway, follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, and growth hormone synthesis or activity, adipocytokines responsivity, angiogenesis, immune response, prostaglandin synthesis and inter-pituitary cell to cell interactions. The findings expand the knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms appearing in the pituitary in pigs during the maternal recognition period of pregnancy.

ORGANISM(S): Sus scrofa domesticus Sus scrofa

PROVIDER: GSE168615 | GEO | 2021/03/11

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:An increase in circulating progesterone (P4) concentrations is associated with increased pregnancy success in beef and dairy cattle. Our objective was to ascertain differential effects of elevated P4 concentrations following conception on endometrial gene expression in beef heifers on Days 5, 7, 13 and 16 of pregnancy, corresponding to the morula, blastocyst, elongation and maternal recognition of pregnancy stages, respectively. Estrus was synchronized in beef heifers (N=263). Two-thirds (N=140) were inseminated (Day 0), and all animals were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: (i) pregnant, high P4; (ii) pregnant, normal P4; (iii) cycling, high P4; (iv) and cycling, normal P4. All high P4 groups received a P4 release intravaginal device (PRID) on Day 3 post-estrus/mating. Tissue was collected on Days 5, 7, 13 or 16 of the cycle or pregnancy, and pregnancy was confirmed by the presence of an appropriately developed embryo/conceptus. PRID insertion elevated (P<0.05) P4 concentrations from Day 3.5 to 8 compared with untreated animals and conceptus size was larger (P<0.05) in animals with elevated P4 on Days 13 and 16 compared with normal P4. Total RNA was extracted from predominantly intercaruncular endometria from the ipsilateral uterine horn. Samples from individual heifers were selected on the basis of their P4 profiles and gene expression was analyzed using bovine Affymetrix microarrays (N=5 per treatment per time point). Microarray data from analyses using Bioconductor GCRMA and Limma packages were subjected to a modified t-test and P-values were adjusted for multiple testing using the Benjamin and Hochberg false discovery rate method. Differentially expressed genes were selected on the basis of an adjusted P-value of <0.01. There were no detectable differences in gene expression in endometria from pregnant and cyclic heifers on Days 5, 7 and 13 post-estrus, but, the expression of 764 genes was altered due to the presence of the conceptus at maternal recognition of pregnancy (Day 16). On Days 5 and 7, elevated P4 in pregnant heifers, altered the expression of 36 and 124 genes respectively but on Days 13 and 16 there were relatively few DEG between high and normal P4 heifers (15 and 25). Of the genes that were differentially regulated by P4, the majority were unique to a specific day of the estrous cycle/early pregnancy. In conclusion, gene expression in endometria did not differ between pregnant and cycling heifers until Day 16 of pregnancy (i.e. the time of maternal recognition of pregnancy and production of interferon tau by conceptus trophectoderm); however, elevating P4 in early pregnancy programmed changes in gene expression in endometria that are hypothesized to impact early conceptus growth and development. Thus, on Days 5, 7 and 13 differential gene expression was affected by P4, but on Day 16 the conceptus primarily influenced gene expression in uterine endometria of heifers. Endometiral samples were taken from estrous synchronized beef heifers that were either cyclic or confirmed pregnant with either normal or high concentrations of progesterone on Day 5, 7, 13 and 16 of the estrous cycle/early pregnancy.

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Transcriptome profile of the anterior pituitary gland in pigs during maternal recognition of pregnancy

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