title: Characterization and application of oviductal epithelial cells in vitro in Gallus domesticus.
abstract: Chicken oviductal epithelium produces large quantities of egg white protein in daily cycles. In this study, we cultured and characterized oviductal epithelial cells (OECs) from juvenile (10-wk-old) chickens and from actively laying (30-wk-old) hens. The juvenile OECs were maintained over passage 25 and were positive for toluidine blue, lectin-ConA, HPA, UEA-1, WFA, WGA, anti-OVA, anti-ESR1, and anti-PGR, whereas the adult OECs were cultured over passage 6 and were positive for toluidine blue, periodic acid-Schiff, lectin-ConA, WFA, WGA, anti-OVA, anti-ESR1, and anti-PGR. To investigate the optimal concentration of steroid hormones for inducing egg white protein genes in vitro, we examined the effects of estrogen, diethylstilbestrol, progesterone, and corticosterone on OECs. Results showed that oviduct-specific levels of avidin, ovalbumin, ovomucin, lysozyme, ESR1, and PGR gene expression were significantly elevated in steroid hormone-treated OECs compared with those of untreated cells (P < 0.05). Ovalbumin protein was also secreted into culture medium from hormone-treated OECs. In addition, to examine the application of OECs for avian transgenesis, we introduced human thrombopoietin (THPO)-expressing lentiviral vector controlled by a 3.5-kb ovalbumin promoter into cultured OECs, and THPO expression was significantly induced with diethylstilbestrol or progesterone in juvenile OECs (P < 0.05) and in adult OECs (P < 0.05). In conclusion, these data demonstrate the potential of cultured OECs as a model system for providing a better understanding of the regulation of gene expression and for the production of an avian transgenic bioreactor.
authors.affiliation: Avicore Biotechnology Institute, Optifarm Solution Inc., Gyeonggi-Do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Gyoung
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Tae Sub
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jin Nam
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Beom Ku
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Seon Duk
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gwonhwa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jae Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010057:Oviducts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D056910:Republic of Korea; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013926:Thrombopoietin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; D004527:Egg Proteins; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D037102:Lectins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010047:Ovalbumin; D013926:Thrombopoietin