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Progesterone (PR), Oestrogen (ER‐α and ER‐β) and Oxytocin (OTR) Gene Expression in the Oviduct and Uterus of Pregnant and Non‐pregnant Bitches
Author(s) -
Derussi AAP,
de Souza RWA,
Volpato R,
Guaitolini CRF,
Ackermann CL,
Taffarel MO,
Cardoso GS,
DalPaiSilva M,
Lopes MD
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
reproduction in domestic animals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.546
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1439-0531
pISSN - 0936-6768
DOI - 10.1111/rda.12015
Subject(s) - oviduct , uterus , pregnancy , oxytocin receptor , endocrinology , luteal phase , medicine , oxytocin , andrology , hormone , biology , genetics
Contents The aim was to assess hormone receptor gene expression in the oviduct and uterus during canine pregnancy. Nineteen pregnant bitches divided into four groups were ovariohysterectomized ( OVH ) at either day 8, 12, 21 or 60 of pregnancy, and five non‐pregnant females underwent OVH 12 days after the pre‐ovulatory Luteinizant Hormone (LH) surge and served as controls. RT ‐q PCR for progesterone ( PR ), oestrogen ( ER ‐α and ER ‐β) and oxytocin ( OTR ) receptors was performed on the oviduct and uterine tissue. The m RNA PR expression in the uterus during early stages of pregnancy and the luteal phase was higher than at other times. The m RNA ER ‐β expression in the oviduct during early pregnancy was less than in non‐pregnant bitches. In the uterus, the m RNA ER ‐β expression was higher in the initial stages of pregnancy. The ER ‐α expression was higher in the oviduct and uterus in advanced stages of pregnancy. The m RNA OTR expression in the oviduct was lower than in the uterus in control group. The expression of this receptor in oviduct and the uterus was higher in the final stages of pregnancy, when compared with other phases. These data suggested that the serum progesterone concentrations probably exert a direct control on the PR and ER (α and β) expression and indirectly on OTR expression in the bitch oviduct and uterus.