title: Expression of Eph A molecules during swine embryo implantation.
abstract: Eph-Ephrin system can induce repulsive forces in cell migration and adhesion during embryonic development in various mammals. In this study, the attachment sites of swine endometrium during pregnancy were used and the physiological role of this system in the step of mammalian embryo implantation was estimated to investigate the involvement of the Eph-Ephrin system in swine embryo implantation. Real-time quantitative PCR indicated that mRNA expression of Eph A1 on endometrium increased extremely significantly around the implantation period (P < 0.01), while expression of Eph A2 and A4 decreased significantly during this period (P < 0.05). Immunostaining showed that protein expression of Eph A1, A2 and A4 in the endometrial stroma underlying the luminal epithelium was higher during mid-implantation compared with early or post-implantation. Western blotting examination demonstrated that protein expression of Eph A1, A2 and A4 at the attachment sites of swine endometrium increased from pregnancy day 13 to 18 (P < 0.01), and then decreased from pregnancy day 18 to 24 (P < 0.01). These findings suggest that the Eph-Ephrin A system might play an important role in regulating the swine contact between blastocysts and endometrium during embryo implantation.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University/The Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China. fuyanfeng@gmail.com
authors.forename: Yanfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Jinluan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Aiguo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002681:China; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D036382:Ephrin-A1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016014:Linear Models; D011247:Pregnancy; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D036382:Ephrin-A1; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family