Open AccessDifferential expression of Toll-like receptors in goat dominant and nondominant follicles
Author(s) -
Yongju Zhao,
Mingxing Chu,
Qionghua Hong,
Shenjin Lv,
Long Zhu,
F K Li,
Yilin Han,
Xiaolong Wu,
Yongfu Huang
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
genetics and molecular research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 48
ISSN - 1676-5680
DOI - 10.4238/gmr15049157
Subject(s) - wnt4 , tlr2 , biology , follicle , gene , gene expression , receptor , follicular phase , microbiology and biotechnology , toll like receptor , gene expression profiling , andrology , tlr4 , medicine , innate immune system , genetics , endocrinology
The mechanism of dominant follicle selection is unclear because of its physiological complexity. However, some studies have reported that the immune system plays an important role in reproductive physiology. The objective of the current study was to investigate the differential expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the dominant (DFs) and nondominant follicles (NFs), and to determine the correlation between the expression of TLRs and the related genes, such as WNT4 and FOXL2. In this comparative study, the expression levels of TLRs, WNT4, and FOXL2 genes of DFs and NFs were obtained from three Dazu black goats were estimated using the real-time PCR. Our results showed no significant difference in the expression of seven TLRs (excluding TLR2, TLR5, and TLR8), WNT4, and FOXL2 between the DFs and NFs. In addition, the mRNA expression levels of WNT4 significantly correlated with the relative expression of TLR6 (r = 0.949739, P < 0.01); however, no significant expression of the TLR genes was found to be associated with FOXL2 mRNA expression. Our results support the fact that TLRs are not involved in the process of dominant follicle selection; however, TLR6 might play a role in the development of follicles by interacting with WNT4.