Open AccessAnalysis of the Expression of Tachykinins and Tachykinin Receptors in the Rat Uterus During Early Pregnancy1
Author(s) -
Francisco M. Pinto,
Aixa R. Bello,
Manuel David Gallardo-Castro,
Francisco Valladares,
Teresa Almeida,
Manuel TenaSempere,
Luz Candenas
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
biology of reproduction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.366
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1529-7268
pISSN - 0006-3363
DOI - 10.1095/biolreprod.115.130617
Subject(s) - tachykinin receptor , neurokinin b , neurokinin a , substance p , receptor , biology , medicine , endocrinology , uterus , western blot , antagonist , andrology , neuropeptide , biochemistry , gene
data showed that treatment of rats with a tachykinin NK3R antagonist caused a reduction of litter size. In the present study, we analyzed the expression of tachykinins and tachykinin receptors in the rat uterus during early pregnancy. Uterine samples were obtained from early pregnant rats (Days 1-9 of pregnancy) and from nonpregnant rats during the proestrus stage of the ovarian cycle, and real-time quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot studies were used to investigate the pattern of expression of tachykinins and tachykinin receptors. We found that all tachykinins and tachykinin receptors were locally synthesized in the uterus of early pregnant rats. The expression of substance P, neurokinin B, and the tachykinin receptors NK1R and NK3R mRNAs and proteins underwent major changes during the days around implantation and they were widely distributed in implantation sites, being particularly abundant in decidual cells. These findings support the involvement of the tachykinin system in the series of uterine events that occur around embryo implantation in the rat.Peer reviewe