title: Expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor system (VEGF) in the porcine oviduct during the estrous cycle.
abstract: The expression and localization of VEGFA and its main receptors Flt-1 and KDR is characterized in the oviduct throughout the porcine estrous cycle. Oviducts were sampled from sows at early follicular, late follicular, early luteal and late luteal stages of the estrous cycle and a segment from the mid portion of the ampulla and isthmus studied by real time RT-PCR and quantitative immunohistochemistry. The expression of the three components of the VEGF system was continuous, although differences were observed depending on the oviduct portion, the stage of the estrous cycle and the histological layer. VEGFA and KDR mRNA expressions were higher in ampulla, while Flt-1 mRNA was higher in isthmus. VEGFA protein was also higher in ampulla but Flt-1 and KDR did not show regional differences between ampulla and isthmus. While the mRNA expression of VEGFA, Flt-1 and KDR increased progressively during the luteal period, the amount of VEGFA and Flt-1 protein decreased in the same period (in isthmus only). Contrastinly, KDR protein peaked in ampulla and isthmus just before ovulation. The VEGF system was majorly located in both the secretory and ciliated cells of the oviduct epithelium, but also in the endothelium and fibroblasts of the lamina propia and the muscle fibres and vessels of the tunica muscularis. Our results are consistent with a participation of VEFG in the regulation of the dynamics of oviductal fluid secretion and the oviduct contractibility.
authors.affiliation: Dept. Anatomy and Comparative Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Murcia, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Murcia, 30100, Spain. Electronic address: albors@um.es.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: López Albors
authors.affiliation: Dept. Anatomy and Comparative Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Murcia, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Murcia, 30100, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Olsson
authors.affiliation: Dept. Anatomy and Comparative Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Murcia, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Murcia, 30100, Spain.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Llinares
authors.affiliation: Dept. Anatomy and Comparative Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Murcia, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Murcia, 30100, Spain; Dept. Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, University Nacional of Colombia, Carrera 30 45-03, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: Dept. Anatomy and Comparative Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Murcia, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Murcia, 30100, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Latorre
authors.affiliation: Dept. Veterinary Pathology, USEDICO-CEIEPAA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, University Nacional Autónoma de México, 76750, Tequisquiapan, Querétaro, Mexico.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Candanosa
authors.affiliation: Dept. Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30100, Spain; Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, 30100, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guillén-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Dept. Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30100, Spain; Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, 30100, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Izquierdo-Rico
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000378:metabolism*; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D034421:Sus scrofa; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2
keywords: Gene expression; Immunohistochemistry; Pig; Real time RT-PCR; Uterine tube