title: Control of interferon-tau expression during early pregnancy in ruminants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A type I interferon (IFN), termed IFN-tau (tau), is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of early pregnancy in cattle and sheep. The control of IFNtau gene (IFNT) expression is not completely understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article will provide an overview of recent progress made in understanding the dynamic expression pattern of IFNT during pre- and peri-attachment conceptus development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several ubiquitous transcriptional regulators (Ets2 and AP1) and at least two trophectoderm factors (Cdx2 and Dlx3) control IFNT transcription during early pregnancy. Co-activators (CBP/p300) are also involved in this process. At least two uterine-derived factors (GM-CSF and FGF2) stimulate IFN-tau production in bovine trophectoderm, and multiple signaling pathways are functionally linked with IFNT expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although understanding the regulation of IFNT expression is far from complete, considerable progress has been made in uncovering how uterine-derived factors and key placental-specific transcriptional regulators control IFNT expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences; University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0910, USA. ealy@ufl.edu
authors.forename: Alan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ealy
authors.forename: Qi En
authors.initials: QE
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D012418:Ruminants / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012756:Sheep; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; C020947:interferon tau