title: P450-aromatase mRNA is expressed in the corpus luteum (CL) of the non-pregnant sheep and goat: the expression of the enzyme is present throughout pregnancy in the goat CL.
abstract: In most mammals, the corpus luteum (CL) and placenta are the major sources of progesterone. The goat pregnancy depends on the presence of CL after mid-gestation, while sheep pregnancy does not. The expression and distribution of P450-aromatase (P450-Aro) mRNA throughout gestation has not been investigated in the goat CL and partially in the sheep CL. The present research was designed to characterize the expression of P450-Aro mRNA in small ruminant CL with emphasis in the goat. For this purpose, ovaries from Criollo goats and Pelibuey sheeps were analysed using in situ reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the histological detection of P450-Aro transcripts. In addition, P450-Aro expression was determined by in vitro RT-PCR. In situ RT-PCR studies showed that the goat and sheep CL were rich in cells positive for P450-Aro mRNA. We have also found in vitro RT-PCR expression of P450-Aro mRNA in goat CL at 1, 3 and 4 months of gestation. This study shows that the goat CL expresses P450-Aro mRNA along gestation, suggesting that this structure is capable to produce oestrogens up to the end of gestation.
authors.affiliation: Dpto de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Cinvestav, México City, México.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mondragón
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Mena
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ocádiz-Delgado
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gariglio
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Romano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006041:Goats / Q000502:physiology*; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D001141:Aromatase