title: Immunohistochemical distribution of early pregnancy factor in ovary, oviduct and placenta of pregnant gilts.
abstract: Early pregnancy factor (EPF) is an immunosuppressant that promotes maternal immune system tolerance of the allogenic fetus. Little is known about localization of this factor in different tissues and nothing has been reported about localization in swine reproductive and placental tissues. We determined the concentration of EPF in serum of gilts and porcine placenta conditioned medium (PPCM). We also analyzed the expression of EPF in different reproductive tissues of pregnant gilts at 10, 30, 60 and 90 days of pregnancy. EPF concentration in serum and PPCM was determined by western blot and densitometry. EPF expression in reproductive tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The highest concentration of EPF was observed at 30 days in serum and PPCM; the concentration was higher in PPCM than in serum at the stages we evaluated. All reproductive tissues from the gestational stages analyzed showed specific labeling of EPF, but this labeling did not appear in non-pregnant gilts. At 30 days pregnancy, the EPF expression in the ovary was predominantly in follicular lutein cells, probably owing to its function as a luteotrophic factor. In the oviduct, EPF was expressed in unciliated secretory epithelial cells and in the cilia of ciliated cells. In the placenta, EPF was expressed in the fetal portion (mesoderm chorioallantois and epithelium of endoderm). EPF acts as an autocrine and paracrine growth factor for the trophoblast during the peri-implantation period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Anatomy, Agronomy and Veterinary Faculty, National University of Río Cuarto , Ruta Nacional 36, Km 601, Río Cuarto (5800) Córdoba , Argentina.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Grosso
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Bellingeri
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Alustiza
authors.forename: N Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Picco
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Vivas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018835:Chaperonin 10 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018835:Chaperonin 10; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic; C025124:early pregnancy factor
keywords: early pregnancy factor; immunolocalization; ovary; oviduct; placenta; swine