1
|
Sadowska A, Molcan T, Wójtowicz A, Lukasik K, Pawlina-Tyszko K, Gurgul A, Ferreira-Dias G, Skarzynski DJ, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A. Bioinformatic analysis of endometrial miRNA expression profile at day 26-28 of pregnancy in the mare. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3900. [PMID: 38365979 PMCID: PMC10873421 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53499-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The establishment of the fetomaternal interface depends on precisely regulated communication between the conceptus and the uterine environment. Recent evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) may play an important role in embryo-maternal dialogue. This study aimed to determine the expression profile of endometrial miRNAs during days 26-28 of equine pregnancy. Additionally, the study aimed to predict target genes for differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs) and their potential role in embryo attachment, adhesion, and implantation. Using next-generation sequencing, we identified 81 DEmiRs between equine endometrium during the pre-attachment period of pregnancy (day 26-28) and endometrium during the mid-luteal phase of the estrous cycle (day 10-12). The identified DEmiRs appear to have a significant role in regulating the expression of genes that influence cell fate and properties, as well as endometrial receptivity formation. These miRNAs include eca-miR-21, eca-miR-126-3p, eca-miR-145, eca-miR-451, eca-miR-491-5p, members of the miR-200 family, and the miRNA-17-92 cluster. The target genes predicted for the identified DEmiRs are associated with ion channel activity and sphingolipid metabolism. Furthermore, it was noted that the expression of mucin 1 and leukemia inhibitory factor, genes potentially regulated by the identified DEmiRs, was up-regulated at day 26-28 of pregnancy. This suggests that miRNAs may play a role in regulating specific genes to create a favorable uterine environment that is necessary for proper attachment, adhesion, and implantation of the embryo in mares.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sadowska
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Tomasz Molcan
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Wójtowicz
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Karolina Lukasik
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Klaudia Pawlina-Tyszko
- Department of Animal Molecular Biology, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Sarego Street 2, 31-047, Kraków, Poland
| | - Artur Gurgul
- Center for Experimental and Innovative Medicine, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Mickiewicza Street 21, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Graca Ferreira-Dias
- CIISA-Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Dariusz J Skarzynski
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Szóstek-Mioduchowska
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Street 10, 10-748, Olsztyn, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
de Castro T, van Heule M, Domingues RR, Jacob JCF, Daels PF, Meyers SA, Conley AJ, Dini P. Embryo-endometrial interaction associated with the location of the embryo during the mobility phase in mares. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3151. [PMID: 38326534 PMCID: PMC10850102 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53578-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Embryo-maternal crosstalk is essential to establish pregnancy, with the equine embryo moving throughout the uterus on days 9-15 (ovulation = day 0) as part of this interaction. We hypothesized that the presence of a mobile embryo induces local changes in the gene expression of the endometrium. On Day 12, the endometrial transcripts were compared among three groups: uterine horn with an embryo (P+, n = 7), without an embryo (P-, n = 7) in pregnant mares, and both uterine horns of nonbred mares (NB, n = 6). We identified 1,101 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between P+ vs. NB and 1,229 DEGs between P- vs. NB. The genes upregulated in both P+ and P- relative to NB were involved in growth factor pathway and fatty acid activation, while downregulated genes were associated with oxytocin signaling pathway and estrogen receptor signaling. Comparing the transcriptome of P+ to that of P-, we found 59 DEGs, of which 30 genes had a higher expression in P+. These genes are associated with regulating vascular growth factors and the immune system, all known to be essential in early pregnancy. Overall, this study suggests that the mobile embryo influences the endometrial gene expression locally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thadeu de Castro
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Machteld van Heule
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Rafael R Domingues
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Julio C F Jacob
- Departmento de Reprodução E Avalição Animal, Universidade Federal Rural Do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janiro, 23897-000, Brazil
| | - Peter F Daels
- Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Stuart A Meyers
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Alan J Conley
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Pouya Dini
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Serum progesterone and oxytocinase, and endometrial and luteal gene expression in pregnant, nonpregnant, oxytocin, carbetocin and meclofenamic acid treated mares. Theriogenology 2023; 198:47-60. [PMID: 36549183 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Our objectives were to examine changes in endometrial and luteal gene expression during estrus, diestrus, pregnancy and treatments to induce luteolysis and putatively induce luteostasis. Groups were: Diestrus (DIEST), Estrus (ESTR), Pregnant (PREG), Oxytocin (OXY), Carbetocin (CARB), and Meclofenamic acid (MFA). Blood was obtained from day (D)12 to D15 for measurement of oxytocinase, also referred to as leucyl-cysteinyl aminopeptidase (LNPEP) and progesterone. Luteal biopsies were obtained on D12 and D15 and an endometrial biopsy on D15. Real-time RT-PCR was performed for the following genes: PGR, ESR1, OXTR,OXT, LNPEP, PTGS2, PTGFR, PLA2G2C, PTGES, SLC2A4, and SLC2A1. Regarding serum LNPEP, PREG and OXY (p-value<0.001) had higher concentrations than DIEST mares. Endometrial PTGES expression was higher (p-value <0.04) in DIEST, PREG and OXY than other groups. Endometrium from ESTR had increased expression of OXT (p-value < 0.02) compared to MFA and OXY mares. Carbetocin treatment: decreased serum progesterone and LNPEP; increased endometrial PLA2G2C; decreased endometrial PTGES; and decreased luteal aromatase and PTGES. Treatment with MFA: decreased endometrial PLA2G2C, increased endometrial PTGES; and resulted in less OXTR and OXT luteal abundance on D12 compared to D15. Endometrial and luteal expression of LNPEP is affected by physiologic stage and treatment and is involved in luteal function and pregnancy recognition pathways through effects on oxytocin and prostaglandin synthesis in the horse.
Collapse
|
4
|
Diel de Amorim M, Bramer SA, Rajamanickam GD, Klein C, Card C. Endometrial and luteal gene expression of putative gene regulators of the equine maternal recognition of pregnancy. Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 245:107064. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2022.107064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
5
|
Rudolf Vegas A, Hamdi M, Podico G, Bollwein H, Fröhlich T, Canisso IF, Bauersachs S, Almiñana C. Uterine extracellular vesicles as multi-signal messengers during maternal recognition of pregnancy in the mare. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15616. [PMID: 36114358 PMCID: PMC9481549 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19958-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to other domestic mammals, the embryo-derived signal(s) leading to maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) are still unknow in the mare. We hypothesize that these embryonic signals could be packed into uterine extracellular vesicles (uEVs), acting as multi-signal messengers between the conceptus and the maternal tract, and contributing to MRP. To unveil these signals, the RNA and protein cargos of uEVs isolated from uterine lavages collected from pregnant mares (P; day 10, 11, 12 and 13 after ovulation) and cyclic control mares (C; day 10 and 13 after ovulation) were analyzed. Our results showed a fine-tuned regulation of the uEV cargo (RNAs and proteins), by the day of pregnancy, the estrous cycle, and even the size of the embryo. A particular RNA pattern was identified with specific increase on P12 related to immune system and hormonal response. Besides, a set of proteins as well as RNAs was highly enriched in EVs on P12 and P13. Differential abundance of miRNAs was also identified in P13-derived uEVs. Their target genes were linked to down- or upregulated genes in the embryo and the endometrium, exposing their potential origin. Our study identified for first time specific molecules packed in uEVs, which were previously associated to MRP in the mare, and thus bringing added value to the current knowledge. Further integrative and functional analyses will help to confirm the role of these molecules in uEVs during MRP in the mare.
Collapse
|