Project description:In order to clarify whether the term after calving is a factor to affect the gene expression in the endometrium of cows, we conducted global endometrial gene expression analysis at different period after parturition. In bovine endometrium between 60.1 ± 4.0 days and 388.9 ± 8.2 days after parturition, the gene expression pattern was similar and the differentially expressed (>2-fold difference, P<0.05) genes were only 4 genes.
Project description:To clarify the regenerative mechanism of endometrium after parturition in cows, mRNA expression profiles in bovine endometrium were investigated during postpartum period. after PVP-I treatment in cows. The differentially expressed genes in the endometrium between postpartum days 49-52 and days 99-101 were 23 genes, and they were much lower than those before postpartum days 49-52. This result suggests that endometrial regeneration after parturition is completely accomplished until postpartum days 49-52.
Project description:To clarify whether the regenerative mechanism of endometrium after PVP-I treatment is similar to that after parturition in cows, mRNA expression profiles in bovine endometrium were investigated after PVP-I treatment in cows. Common differentially expressed genes between after PVP-I administration and parturition were few. The difference of the pattern of gene expression changes between after PVP-I administration and postpartum period suggests that the endometrial regeneration after PVP-I administration had different mechanism from parturition.
Project description:Conceptus implantation to the uterine endometrium is required for pregnancy establishment, during which non-invasive trophoblasts attach and adhere to the uterine endometrium or invasive trophoblasts invade into the uterine stroma, followed by placental formation in most mammalian species. During peri-implantation period, conceptuses must communicate with the uterine endometrium if they are to survive and proceed to attachment to the uterine epithelium. Despite numerous studies performed on the bovine species, molecular mechanisms associated with their attachment processes, particularly the initial attachment to the endometrial epithelium, have not been well characterized.
Project description:To get new insights into molecular mechanisms underlying the embryo-maternal communication during the pre-implantation period endometrium samples from Day 18 pregnant vs. non-pregnant twin cows were analyzed using a combination of subtracted cDNA libraries and cDNA array hybridization. Keywords: Comparison of endometrium of pregnant versus control animals
Project description:Although somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) cloning is more efficient in bovine than in all other species tested so far, there is a high rate of pregnancy failure that has been linked to structural and functional abnormalities of the placenta. We tested the hypothesis that these changes may originate from disturbed embryo-maternal interactions in the pre-implantation period. Therefore, we evaluated the transcriptome response of the endometrium to SCNT embryos (produced from five different donor cell cultures) as compared to embryos derived from in vitro fertilization (IVF). SCNT embryos and IVF embryos were cultured under identical conditions to the blastocyst stage (Day 8) and transferred to recipients. The recipients were slaughtered at day 18 of pregnancy and the uterus was recovered. Pregnancy was verified by the presence of at least one normally developed embryo. Transcriptome profiling of endometrium samples using a custom cDNA microarray covering transcripts expressed in the endometrium and/or oviduct epithelium revealed 58 transcripts that were differently abundant between endometrium samples from SCNT vs. IVF pregnancies. Prominent examples are NR2F2 (encoding the orphan nuclear receptor COUP-TFII) and GJA1 (encoding connexin 43). Both transcripts are known to play important roles in placentation and were significantly less abundant in endometrium from SCNT vs. IVF pregnancies. These findings suggest that placental failure in bovine clone pregnancies may originate from abnormal embryo-maternal communication already in the pre- or peri-implantation period. Endometrium transcriptome profiles may serve as a novel readout to evaluate SCNT embryos for their ability to induce pregnancy with a functional placenta. Keywords: response to different embryos
Project description:The endometrium plays a central role among the reproductive tissues in the context of early embryo-maternal communication and pregnancy. This study investigated transcriptome profiles of endometrium samples from Day 18 pregnant vs. non-pregnant heifers to get insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in conditioning the endometrium for embryo attachment and implantation. Using a combination of subtracted cDNA libraries and cDNA array hybridization 109 mRNAs with at least twofold higher abundance in endometrium of pregnant animals and 70 mRNAs with higher levels in the control group were identified. Among the mRNAs with higher abundance in pregnant animals at least 41 are already described as induced by interferons. In addition, transcript levels of many new candidate genes involved in regulation of transcription, cell adhesion, modulation of the maternal immune system, and endometrial remodeling were found as increased. The different expression level was confirmed with quantitative real-time PCR for nine genes. Localization of mRNA expression in the endometrium was shown by in situ hybridization for AGRN, LGALS3BP, LGALS9, USP18, PARP12, and BST2. A comparison with similar studies in humans and mice revealed species-specific and common molecular markers of uterine receptivity. Keywords: Comparison of endometrium of pregnant versus control animals
Project description:To clarify the effect of intrauterine methylglyoxal (MGO) administration on the endometrium, mRNA expression profiles of bovine endometrium were investigated. Hierarchical cluster analysis with the expression levels of all genes was divided these cows into two clusters. First cluster was composed of control cows, second cluster contained MGO (5 mM) treated cows.
Project description:Early embryo loss affects all mammalian species, including humans and agriculturally important food-producing mammals such as cattle. The developing conceptus (embryo and extra-embryonic membranes) secretes factors which modify the endometrium and can be critical for early pregnancy processes such maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) and enhancing uterine receptivity to implantation. For example, a competent bovine conceptus secretes IFNT to initiate MRP. The bovine conceptus also secretes other proteins at the time of MRP, including CAPG and PDI, which are highly conserved among placental mammals. We have previously shown that these proteins act upon the endometrium to modulate receptivity, embryo development, and implantation in species with different implantation strategies (humans and cattle). We hypothesise that developing a novel 3D bovine endometrium on a chip system will enhance our understanding of the role of conceptus-derived factors in altering the endometrium and/or ULF secretion. Here we have developed a 3D bovine endometrium on a chip system, comprising both stromal and epithelial cell culture combined with culture medium flow better mimics the in vivo endometrium and exposure to conceptus-derived factors than conventional 2D endometrial cell culture. We have demonstrated that the conceptus-derived proteins CAPG and PDI modulate the endometrial transcriptome and secretory response to promote pathways associated with early pregnancy and alter ULF composition. This work highlights the critical need for more robust and in vivo-like culture systems to study endometrial-conceptus interactions in vitro to further investigate the role of conceptus derived factors for pregnancy success.