title: Expression of hyaluronan synthase-3 in porcine oviducal epithelium during oestrus.
abstract: Hyaluronan (HA) has been related to fertilization and embryo development in the pig. Furthermore, HA is present in pig oviduct fluid and the lining epithelium, particularly of the pre-ovulatory sperm reservoir. Because the mechanisms that regulate HA synthesis have not yet been clarified, semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was conducted to assess the expression of mRNAs of two HA-synthesizing enzymes (has2 and has3) in the oviduct epithelium (uterotubal junction, isthmus, ampullary-isthmic junction and ampulla segments) of non-inseminated (control) and inseminated (treatment) sows at pre-, peri- and post-ovulatory oestrus. Only has3 mRNA was detected; it was present in all tubal segments of both control and treatment samples. The level of has3 expression did not vary significantly between non-inseminated and inseminated specimens, but there was a tendency (NS) for increased mean values during the peri- and post-ovulatory stages compared with pre-ovulation. It is concluded that has3 is expressed by the porcine endosalpinx epithelium and the levels of expression do not vary during the critical periods of sperm transport and fertilization, despite fluctuating levels of HA in the tubal fluid at corresponding periods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. paisan.tienthai@og.slu.se
authors.forename: Paisan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tienthai
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heldin
authors.forename: Eimei
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Heriberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Martinez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D004971:Estrus; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D015870:Gene Expression; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013083:Sperm Transport; D013552:Swine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase