title: Distinct microRNA expression in endometrial lymphocytes, endometrium, and trophoblast during spontaneous porcine fetal loss.
abstract: Endometrial lymphocytes are recruited to the porcine maternal-fetal interface by conceptus-derived signals. The transiently recruited lymphocytes adopt a specialized phenotype in the endometrium that regulates various placental physiological processes, including angiogenesis. Small non-coding RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as principal bio-molecules regulating the development of lymphocytes and their angiogenic functions. However, no information is available in the context of endometrial lymphocytes in pregnancy. We hypothesize that miRNAs are involved in the development of endometrial lymphocytes and their angiogenic functions at the porcine maternal-fetal interface. Using a targeted Q-PCR approach for selected miRNAs involved in immune cell development, angiogenesis, and anti-angiogenesis, we conducted a study to screen endometrial lymphocytes associated with healthy and spontaneously arresting conceptus attachment sites (CAS) at two well-defined periods of fetal loss. Comparisons were made with endometrium and trophoblasts associated with healthy and arresting CAS. In addition, levels of putative mRNA targets and subsequent functional clustering of genes were studied in order to predict the biological mechanisms affected. We found several significant differences for miRNAs involved in immune cell development and angiogenesis (miR-296-5P, miR-150, miR-17P-5P, miR-18a, and miR-19a) between endometrial lymphocytes associated with healthy and arresting CAS. Significant differences were also found in endometrium and trophoblasts for some miRNAs (miR-20b, miR-17-5P, miR-18a, miR-15b-5P, and miR-222). Finally, selected mRNA targets showed differential expression in all groups. Our data, although associative, are the first to unravel the selected miRNAs involved in immune cell development and provide insights into their possible regulation in abortive pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6.
authors.forename: Mallikarjun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bidarimath
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6.
authors.forename: Andrew K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8.
authors.forename: Jocelyn M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wessels
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: Kasra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khalaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1; Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan.
authors.forename: Rami T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Kridli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1. Electronic address: tayadec@queensu.ca.
authors.forename: Chandrakant
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tayade
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Angiogenesis; Endometrium; Lymphocytes; Pig; Pregnancy; miRNA