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Dini P, Carossino M, Balasuriya UBR, El-Sheikh Ali H, Loux SC, Esteller-Vico A, Scoggin KE, Loynachan AT, Kalbfleisch T, De Spiegelaere W, Daels P, Ball BA. Paternally expressed retrotransposon Gag-like 1 gene, RTL1, is one of the crucial elements for placental angiogenesis in horses†. Biol Reprod 2021; 104:1386-1399. [PMID: 33693478 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
RTL1 (retrotransposon Gag-like 1) is an essential gene in the development of the human and murine placenta. Several fetal and placental abnormalities such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and hydrops conditions have been associated with altered expression of this gene. However, the function of RTL1 has not been identified. RTL1 is located on a highly conserved region in eutherian mammals. Therefore, the genetic and molecular analysis in horses could hold important implications for other species, including humans. Here, we demonstrated that RTL1 is paternally expressed and is localized within the endothelial cells of the equine (Equus caballus) chorioallantois. We developed an equine placental microvasculature primary cell culture and demonstrated that RTL1 knockdown leads to loss of the sprouting ability of these endothelial cells. We further demonstrated an association between abnormal expression of RTL1 and development of hydrallantois. Our data suggest that RTL1 may be essential for placental angiogenesis, and its abnormal expression can lead to placental insufficiency. This placental insufficiency could be the reason for IUGR and hydrops conditions reported in other species, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pouya Dini
- Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.,Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Mariano Carossino
- Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Udeni B R Balasuriya
- Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Hossam El-Sheikh Ali
- Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.,Theriogenology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Mansoura, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Shavahn C Loux
- Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Alejandro Esteller-Vico
- Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Kirsten E Scoggin
- Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Alan T Loynachan
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Theodore Kalbfleisch
- Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Ward De Spiegelaere
- Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Peter Daels
- Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Barry A Ball
- Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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