title: Expression of repulsive guidance molecule b (RGMb) in the uterus and ovary during the estrous cycle in rats.
abstract: Repulsive guidance molecule b (RGMb; a.k.a. Dragon), initially identified in the embryonic dorsal root ganglion, is the first member of the RGM family shown to enhance bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling by acting as a BMP co-receptor. BMP signaling has been demonstrated to play an important role in the reproductive organs. Our previous study found that RGMb was expressed in the reproductive axis, but whether RGMb expression in reproductive organs changes across the estrous cycle remains unknown. Here, we show in the rat that RGMb mRNA expression in the uterus was significantly higher during metesterus and diestrus than during proestrus and estrus. Western blotting indicated that RGMb protein was significantly lower during estrus compared with the other three stages. Immunohistochemistry revealed that RGMb protein was mainly localized to the uterine luminal and glandular epithelial cells of the endometrium. RGMb mRNA and protein in the ovary remained unchanged during the estrous cycle. RGMb protein was expressed in the oocytes of all follicles. Weak staining for RGMb protein was also found in corpora lutea. RGMb was not detected in granulosa cells and stromal cells. Taken together, RGMb expression in the uterus and ovary across the estrus cycle demonstrate that RGMb may be involved in the regulation of uterine function, follicular development as well as luteal activity.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Chenling
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Nannan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Quanwei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Fangxiong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Pioneer Valley Life Science Institute and Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Schneyer
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 999077, China.
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: maodagan@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Dagan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C502259:RGM protein, rat
keywords: BMP; Estrous cycle; Ovary; RGMb; Rat; Uterus