Project description:Gene differential expression in different pregnant periods and different tissues are detected. Sow ovary and myometrium were selected for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. 9 pigs were divided into three time-points groups: non-pregnant (NP, n=3), early pregnant (EP, n=3), and late pregnant (LP, n=3). The differentially expressed genes in each group were identified.
Project description:To identify the molecular markers of early pregnancy in pigs, we compared global gene expression profiles of the maternal peripheral blood in pregnant sows with the non-pregnant sows. Peripheral blood sample was collected at 14 days after insemination from the submandibular vein of pregnant and non-pregnant sows respectively, and total RNA was isolated, purified and sent for microarray analysis. This study identified 127 up-regulated and 56 down-regulated genes (FC >= 1.5 and P < 0.05) in peripheral blood from pregnant sows versus non-pregnant sows. Of the differently expressed genes, nine (including LPAR3, RXFP4, GALP, CBR1, CBR2, GPX6, USP18, LHB and NR5A1) were found to exert function related to early pregnancy processes. Seven differentially expressed genes (CHGB, USP18, VWF, LPAR3, NR5A1, PPARD, BIN1) were selected to perform qRT-PCR in the same RNA samples.The expression profiles of these genes detected by qRT-PCR were consistent with those by microarray, which confirmed the reliability of our microarray data.
Project description:Purpose: characterize the uterine transcriptome profiles of pregnant (P) versus non-pregnant (NP) cows during early pregnancy and attempted to define a potential set of marker genes that can be valuable for predicting pregnancy outcome. Methods: beef cows were synchronized and artificially inseminated at detected estrus. Six days after AI, jugular blood samples and a biopsy from the uterine horn contralateral to the ovary containing the corpus luteum were collected. Based on pregnancy outcome on day 30, samples were retrospectively allocated to the following groups: Pregnant and Non-Pregnant. Both groups had similar plasma progesterone concentrations on D6. Uterine biopsies were submitted to RNA-Seq analysis in a Illumina HiScanSQ platform. Results: The 272,685,768 million filtered reads were mapped to the Bos taurus reference genome and 14,654 genes were analyzed for differential expression between groups. Transcriptome data showed that 216 genes are differently expressed when comparing NP versus P uterine tissue (Padj≤0.1). More specifically, 36 genes were up-regulated in P cows and 180 are up-regulated in NP cows. Conclusions: this study characterized a unique set of genes, expressed in the uterus on 6 days after insemination, that indicate a receptive state leading to pregnancy success. Furthermore, expression of such genes can be used as potential markers to efficiently predict pregnancy success. endometrial mRNA profiles of pregnant and non-pregnant cows were generated by deep sequencing using Illumina HiScanSQ platform BioProject PRJNA268916 SRA Study SRP05036
Project description:Cervical-vaginal fluid (CVF) covers the lower part of the female reproductive system and functions in the homeostasis and immunity of the surrounding tissues. The proteome of this proximal fluid has mainly been studied in pregnant women, whereas the CVF proteome of non-pregnant women has not been analyzed in great detail. The CVF peptidome has not been reported to date. In the current study, we separated pooled CVF samples from healthy non-pregnant women into proteomic and peptidomic fractions, followed by mass spectrometry analysis. In total, we identified 1,087 unique proteins in CVF, of which 801 proteins were not previously identified. The presence of the tissue specific proteins oviductal glycoprotein-1 (OVGP-1) and tubulin polymerization-promoting protein family member 3 (TPPP3) in CVF strongly suggests that the tissues of the upper female reproductive tract contribute to the protein composition of CVF. The tremendous catalytic potential of CVF was highlighted by the identification of 85 proteases. The majority of identified proteases belong to the serine protease catalytic type. Over 1,000 endogenous peptides were detected in the CVF peptidome, and 39 peptides are predicted to have antimicrobial activity. The detailed proteomic and peptidomic analysis of CVF will further aid in the delineation of physiological and pathobiological pathways related to reproduction, immunity and host defense, and assist in developing new biomarkers for malignant and other diseases of the female reproductive tract.
Project description:Purpose: characterize the uterine transcriptome profiles of pregnant (P) versus non-pregnant (NP) cows during early pregnancy and attempted to define a potential set of marker genes that can be valuable for predicting pregnancy outcome. Methods: beef cows were synchronized and artificially inseminated at detected estrus. Six days after AI, jugular blood samples and a biopsy from the uterine horn contralateral to the ovary containing the corpus luteum were collected. Based on pregnancy outcome on day 30, samples were retrospectively allocated to the following groups: Pregnant and Non-Pregnant. Both groups had similar plasma progesterone concentrations on D6. Uterine biopsies were submitted to RNA-Seq analysis in a Illumina HiScanSQ platform. Results: The 272,685,768 million filtered reads were mapped to the Bos taurus reference genome and 14,654 genes were analyzed for differential expression between groups. Transcriptome data showed that 216 genes are differently expressed when comparing NP versus P uterine tissue (Padj≤0.1). More specifically, 36 genes were up-regulated in P cows and 180 are up-regulated in NP cows. Conclusions: this study characterized a unique set of genes, expressed in the uterus on 6 days after insemination, that indicate a receptive state leading to pregnancy success. Furthermore, expression of such genes can be used as potential markers to efficiently predict pregnancy success.
Project description:Pregnant females were distributed into two experimental groups: control group and MC-LR group which were exposed to 0 and 10 μg/L of MC-LR through drinking water separately during fetal and lactational periods. In 30 days old, the animals were euthanized. Testes were determined to investigate the different expressions of piRNAs using a piRNA microarray.
Project description:Pregnant females were distributed into two experimental groups: control group and MC-LR group which were exposed to 0 and 10 μg/L of MC-LR through drinking water separately during fetal and lactational periods. In 30 days old, the animals were euthanized. Testes were determined to investigate the different expressions of piRNAs using a piRNA microarray.
Project description:ABSTRACT:Pregnancy requires a higher functional beta cell mass and this is associated with profound changes in the gene expression profile of pancreatic islets. Taking Tph1 as a sensitive marker for pregnancy-related islet mRNA expression in female mice, we previously identified prolactin receptors and placental lactogen as key signalling molecules. Since beta cells from male mice also express prolactin receptors, the question arose whether male and female islets have the same phenotypic resilience at the mRNA level during pregnancy. We addressed this question in vitro, by using islet tissue culture with placental lactogen and in vivo, by transplanting male or female islets into female acceptor mice. Additionally, the islet mRNA expression of pregnant prolactin receptor deficient mice was compared with that of their pregnant wild-type littermates. When cultured with placental lactogen, or transplanted in female recipients that became pregnant (day 12.5), male islets induced the ‘islet pregnancy gene signature’, which we defined as the 12 highest induced genes in non-transplanted female islets at day 12.5 of pregnancy. In addition, serotonin immunoreactivity was also induced in these male transplanted islets at day 12.5 of pregnancy. In order to investigate the importance of prolactin receptors in these mRNA changes we used a prolactin receptor deficient mouse model. For the 12 genes of the signature, which are highly induced in control pregnant mice, no significant induction of mRNA transcripts was found at day 9.5 of pregnancy. Together, our results support the key role of placental lactogen as a circulating factor that can trigger the pregnancy mRNA profile in male and female beta cells. The data obtained from the normal islets of pregnant mice (day12.5) was already described in Schraenen et al. 2010 (PMID: 20886204 and PMID: 20938637).
Project description:ABSTRACT:Pregnancy requires a higher functional beta cell mass and this is associated with profound changes in the gene expression profile of pancreatic islets. Taking Tph1 as a sensitive marker for pregnancy-related islet mRNA expression in female mice, we previously identified prolactin receptors and placental lactogen as key signalling molecules. Since beta cells from male mice also express prolactin receptors, the question arose whether male and female islets have the same phenotypic resilience at the mRNA level during pregnancy. We addressed this question in vitro, by using islet tissue culture with placental lactogen and in vivo, by transplanting male or female islets into female acceptor mice. Additionally, the islet mRNA expression of pregnant prolactin receptor deficient mice was compared with that of their pregnant wild-type littermates. When cultured with placental lactogen, or transplanted in female recipients that became pregnant (day 12.5), male islets induced the ‘islet pregnancy gene signature’, which we defined as the 12 highest induced genes in non-transplanted female islets at day 12.5 of pregnancy. In addition, serotonin immunoreactivity was also induced in these male transplanted islets at day 12.5 of pregnancy. In order to investigate the importance of prolactin receptors in these mRNA changes we used a prolactin receptor deficient mouse model. For the 12 genes of the signature, which are highly induced in control pregnant mice, no significant induction of mRNA transcripts was found at day 9.5 of pregnancy. Together, our results support the key role of placental lactogen as a circulating factor that can trigger the pregnancy mRNA profile in male and female beta cells.