title: Effect of early pregnancy on the expression of progesterone receptor and progesterone-induced blocking factor in ovine lymph node.
abstract: Lymph nodes are the sites where the immune reaction or suppression takes place. Progesterone (P4) exerts an essential effect of the immunomodulation on the maternal uterus during early pregnancy in ruminants. At present study, the inguinal lymph nodes were obtained at day 16 of non-pregnancy, days 13, 16 and 25 of pregnancy (n = 3 for each group) in ewes, and RT-PCR assay, western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis were used to analyze to the effect of early pregnancy on the expression of P4 receptor (PGR) and progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) in the lymph nodes. Our results showed that the PGR and PIBF mRNA were up-regulated in the lymph nodes in pregnant ewes, and the PGR isoform (60 kDa) and the PIBF variant (75 kDa) were expressed constantly in the lymph nodes. However, there was no expression of the PGR isoform (40 kDa) and the PIBF variant (48 kDa) at day 16 of the estrous cycle. The immunohistochemistry results confirmed that the PGR and PIBF proteins were limited to the subcapsular sinus and trabeculae in the cortex, medullary sinuses, and were localized in the cytoplasm of the specific cells. This paper reports for the first time that early pregnancy exerts its effect on the specific cells in the lymph nodes through P4, which results in the up-regulated expression of the PGR mRNA and 40 kDa isoform, the PIBF mRNA and 48 kDa variant, and is involved in the immunoregulation of the lymph nodes through a cytosolic pathway in ewes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056021, China. Electronic address: yangling@hebeu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056021, China.
authors.forename: Shengqin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056021, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056021, China.
authors.forename: Xiaolei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056021, China.
authors.forename: Leying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D005865:Gestational Age; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012756:Sheep; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic; D011374:Progesterone
keywords: Ewe; Lymph node; Pregnancy; Progesterone induced blocking factor; Progesterone receptor