Gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor gene and protein expression and immunohistochemical localization in bovine uterus and oviducts.
Recently GnRH, GnRH-R systems has been demonstrated in various extrahypothalamic and extrapituitary reproductive tissues in different mammalian species, where GnRH acts in an autocrine and or paracrine manner and modulates different biological processes. GnRH-R mRNA has also been demonstrated in bovine ovaries (follicle and corpus luteum) and normal and carcinogenic human endometrium/endometrial cells. This is the first study elucidating presence of GnRH-R mRNA and GnRH-R protein in bovine uterus and oviducts in follicular and luteal phases of the estrous cycle and further localizing the receptors to endometrial and oviductal epithelial cells. To our knowledge this is the first report demonstrating GnRH-R mRNA and protein in mammalian oviducts. We used gene-specific primers and monoclonal GnRH-R antibody to test GnRH-R mRNA and GnRH-R protein through RT-PCR and immunobloting. Immunohistochemistry was employed to localize these receptors to endometrial and oviductal epithelial cells. GnRH-R mRNA and receptor protein were expressed at expected molecular weights of 920bp and 60kD, respectively. Densitometry analysis revealed that expression levels for GnRH-R protein in uterus and oviducts were similar to bovine pituitary. The presence of GnRH receptors in bovine uterus and oviducts is intriguing and it would be imperative to examine the functional role of this system in the regulation of reproductive processes.
Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, 248-2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
R
R
Singh
M L
ML
Graves
C D
CD
Roskelley
G
G
Giritharan
R
R
Rajamahendran
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000737:chemistry; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D030762:Estrous Cycle; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000662:veterinary; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011966:Receptors, LHRH / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D014599:Uterus / Q000737:chemistry*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011966:Receptors, LHRH