title: Maternal organism and embryo biosensoring: insights from ruminants.
abstract: In terms of contribution to pregnancy, the mother not only produces gametes, but also hosts gestation, whose progression in the uterus is conditioned by early events during implantation. In ruminants, this period is associated with elongation of the extra-embryonic tissues, gastrulation of the embryonic disk and cross-talk with the endometrium. Recent data have prompted the need for accurate staging of the bovine conceptus and shown that asynchrony between elongation and gastrulation processes may account for pregnancy failure. Data mining of endometrial gene signatures has allowed the identification of molecular pathways and new factors regulated by the conceptus (e.g. FOXL2, SOCS6). Interferon-tau has been recognised to be the major signal of pregnancy recognition, but prostaglandins and lysophospholipids have also been demonstrated to be critical players at the conceptus-endometrium interface. Interestingly, up-regulation of interferon-regulated gene expression has been identified in circulating immune cells during implantation, making these factors a potential source of non-invasive biomarkers for early pregnancy. Distinct endometrial responses have been shown to be elicited by embryos produced by artificial insemination, in vitro fertilisation or somatic cell nuclear transfer. These findings have led to the concept that endometrium is an early biosensor of embryo quality. This biological property first demonstrated in cattle has been recently extended and associated with embryo selection in humans. Hence, compromised or suboptimal endometrial quality can subtly or deeply affect embryo development, with visible and sometimes severe consequences for placentation, foetal development, pregnancy outcome and the long-term health of the offspring.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; ENVA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-94704 Maisons Alfort, France. Electronic address: olivier.sandra@jouy.inra.fr.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sandra
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; ENVA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-94704 Maisons Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Constant
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; ENVA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-94704 Maisons Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Anais
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitorino Carvalho
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; ENVA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-94704 Maisons Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eozénou
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; ENVA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-94704 Maisons Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valour
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; ENVA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-94704 Maisons Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mauffré
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; ENVA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-94704 Maisons Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hue
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; ENVA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-94704 Maisons Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Charpigny
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012418:Ruminants
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007370:Interferon Type I; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; C020947:interferon tau
keywords: Cell signalling; Endometrium; Immune cells; Ruminants; Sensor