title: Crosstalk between uterine serpin (SERPINA14) and pregnancy-associated glycoproteins at the fetal-maternal interface in pregnant dairy heifers experimentally infected with Neospora caninum.
abstract: Infection with Neospora caninum is the leading cause of abortion in cattle. In cows naturally infected with N caninum, plasma concentrations of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAG) 1 and 2 indicate fetal-placental well-being, whereas an excess of progesterone in the second trimester of gestation has been related to high abortion rate. The immunosuppressive action of progesterone on the uterus during gestation has been attributed in part to the uterine serpins (SERPINA14). This study examines expression patterns of the genes SERPINA14, PAG, and PAG2 at the fetal-maternal interface in dairy heifers experimentally infected with N caninum during the second trimester of pregnancy, when most abortions takes place in natural conditions. Irrespective of infection, expression of SERPINA14 was higher, and expression of PAG1 and PAG2 lower, for intercaruncular endometrium than for caruncles or cotyledons. Cotyledonary tissues showed the highest expression of both PAG genes but lowest expression of SERPINA14. The expression of SERPINA14 was significantly higher in intercaruncular endometrium of control dams than for infected animals, pointing to potential disruption of modulation of maternal immune function during infection. Dramatically reduced SERPINA14 was particularly apparent in infected dams with aborted fetuses. There was also a negative association between N caninum antibody titers with SERPINA14 and PAG expression in infected animals, further suggesting that N caninum infection downregulates the uterine immunosuppressive function of SERPINA14.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production, University of Lleida, 25198 Lleida, Spain; Agrotecnio Centre, University of Lleida, Spain.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Serrano-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, USA.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production, University of Lleida, 25198 Lleida, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mur-Novales
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production, University of Lleida, 25198 Lleida, Spain; Agrotecnio Centre, University of Lleida, Spain.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: García-Ispierto
authors.affiliation: Physiology of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.affiliation: Physiology of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Beckers
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Almería
authors.affiliation: Transfer in Bovine Reproduction SLu, Barbastro, Spain. Electronic address: lopezgatiusf@gmail.com.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López-Gatius
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000502:physiology*; D018688:Neospora; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000662:veterinary; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015843:Serpins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D015843:Serpins
keywords: Bovine neosporosis; Immune modulation of gestation; Placental well-being