Endometrial gene expression of acute phase extracellular matrix components following estrogen disruption of pregnancy in pigs.
In pigs, administration of estrogen to gilts on Days 9 and 10 of pregnancy causes conceptus fragmentation and death between Days 15 and 18 of gestation. Conceptus degeneration is associated with breakdown of the microvilli surface glycocalyx on the lumenal epithelium (LE). We previously identified endometrial expression of inter-α-trypsin inhibitor (ITI) and hyaluronic acid (HA), which are key components of extracellular matrix (ECM), during the period of conceptus attachment to the uterine surface in the pig. Tumor necrosis factor-α-inducible protein-6 (TNFAIP6) serves as a linker for ECM expansion and is stimulated by prostaglandin E (PGE). We hypothesized that early estrogen administration alters the normal ECM components forming glycocalyx on the LE. Bred gilts (4 gilts/trt/day) were treated with either 5mg estradiol cypionate (E) or corn oil (CO) on Days 9 and 10 of gestation. The uterus was surgically removed on either Days 10, 12, 13, 15 and 17 of gestation and endometrial tissue snap frozen in liquid nitrogen. Endometrial tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF), TNFAIP6, interleukin 6 (IL6), and inter-α-trypsin inhibitor heavy chains (ITIH) were detected during early pregnancy thereby indicating all components for maintenance of the extracellular glycocalyx are present in the endometrium of pigs. However, only gene expression of ITIH2 was suppressed by E-treatment. TNFAIP6 protein was detected across all days of gestation but was not affected by E-treatment. The present study demonstrates that while the pig endometrium expresses key components of ECM only ITIH2 gene expression was altered by E-treatment. A decrease in ITIH2 could lead to the possible loss of the uterine glycocalyx leading to conceptus degeneration; however, other factors may be involved with the loss of glycocalyx during implantation in the pig following E-treatment.
Ashworth
Morgan D
MD
Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. morgan.ashworth@Yale.edu
Ross
Jason W
JW
Stein
Daniel
D
White
Frank
F
Geisert
Rodney D
RD
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D005865:Gestational Age; D019276:Glycocalyx / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics; D011247:Pregnancy; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics; D014599:Uterus / Q000737:chemistry
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C072273:TNFAIP6 protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C016001:alpha-1-microglobulin; C011877:inter-alpha-inhibitor; D004958:Estradiol; C007630:estradiol 17 beta-cypionate