title: Effect of undernutrition on uterine progesterone and oestrogen receptors and on endocrine profiles during the ovine oestrous cycle.
abstract: In the present study, it was investigated whether undernutrition affected the binding capacity, immunoreactivity and mRNA expression for uterine oestrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR, respectively) in sheep, as well as whether the responses were associated with changes in plasma concentrations of progesterone (P4), oestradiol (E2), glucose, fatty acids, insulin, leptin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I during the oestrous cycle. Twenty ewes were fed either 1.5 (C) or 0.5 (L) times their maintenance requirements and were killed on Day 5 or 14 of the cycle (Day 0 = oestrus). Compared with Group C, Group L had higher concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids and lower concentrations of insulin, leptin and IGF-I. Group L also had higher plasma concentrations of P4 during the final days of the luteal phase. At oestrus in both treatment groups, there were peaks in the concentrations of glucose, insulin and IGF-I. For ER and PR, transcript expression, binding capacity and immunoreactivity were higher on Day 5 than on Day 14 of the cycle. The binding capacities for ER and PR were lower in Group L than in Group C on Day 5. Group C showed more immunoreactive staining for ER than did Group L in two of five cell types, whereas no effect of treatment was observed for PR immunoreactivity. There was more PR mRNA in the uterine horn contralateral to the corpus luteum in Group C than in Group L ewes. We conclude that undernutrition impairs steroid receptor expression and binding capacity. This may alter the uterine environment and help explain the reductions in embryo survival.
authors.affiliation: Animal Production and Food Science, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain. cecis@adinet.com.uy
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sosa
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Abecia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forcada
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Viñoles
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tasende
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Valares
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Palacín
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meikle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D030762:Estrous Cycle; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012756:Sheep / Q000378:metabolism; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D014599:Uterus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D006728:Hormones; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I