Maternal recognition of pregnancy and implantation are not associated with an interferon response of the endometrium to the presence of the conceptus in dromedary camel.
Maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) and implantation involve appropriate interactions between the elongating conceptus and the receptive endometrium that will condition development of the feto-placental unit to term. Molecular mechanisms that take place at the conceptus-endometrium interface during early pregnancy have been extensively investigated in domestic ungulates but they are still poorly understood in camelids including the dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius), a domestic species with important economic and social roles in arid and semi-arid areas. In order to better understand how MRP and implantation take place in the left horn of this species, we investigated expression levels of genes encoding steroid hormones (PGR, ESR1), transcription factors (STAT1, FOXL2), interferon stimulated genes (MX1, MX2, OAS1, RSAD2) including SOCS genes (SOCS1, SOCS2, SOCS3 and CISH), previously identified as conceptus regulated genes in the endometrium of other domestic animals. Using endometrial tissue collected from left and right uterine horns of dromedary camel females that were non pregnant or early pregnant, gene expression of these genes was detected and our results provided first insights on their regulation, showing that (i) conceptus implantation is not associated with an IFN response in the pregnant uterine horn (ii) when regulation of classical interferon-stimulated genes (ISG) occurs, it takes place during the formation of the feto-placental unit, and (iii) gene expression can differ between the left and right uterine horns during implantation and early placentation phase. Additional experiments will be required in dromedary camels to understand the unusual regulation of ISG during implantation as well as to determine the molecular processes that drive the systematic implantation of the elongating conceptus in the left uterine horn.
Department of Animal Reproduction & Artificial Insemination, Veterinary Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: assabdoon@yahoo.com.
Ahmed Sabry
AS
Abdoon
INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Corrine
C
Giraud-Delville
Department of Animal Reproduction & Artificial Insemination, Veterinary Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622, Cairo, Egypt.
Omaima Mohamed
OM
Kandil
INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Annelye
A
Kerboeuf-Giraud
UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350, Jouy en Josas, France.
Caroline
C
Eozénou
INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Anais Vitorino
AV
Carvalho
Camel Reproduction Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Skidmore
S
Julian
INRA, UMR1198 Biologie du Développement et Reproduction, F-78352, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Olivier
O
Sandra
D000818:Animals; D002162:Camelus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007372:Interferons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010929:Placentation / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D050826:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D050826:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins; D007372:Interferons
Dromedary camel; Gene expression; Left horn pregnancy; Maternal recognition of pregnancy