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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Livestock Bio-Systems » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #380738
Research Project: Improving Livestock Production by Developing Reproductive and Precision Management Technologies

Location: Livestock Bio-Systems

Title: Influence of estradiol on bovine trophectoderm and uterine gene transcripts around maternal recognition of pregnancy

Author
item NORTHROP-ALBRECHT, EMMALEE - South Dakota State University
item RICH, JERICA - South Dakota State University
item Cushman, Robert - Bob
item YAO, RUNAN - South Dakota State University
item GE, XIJIN - South Dakota State University
item PERRY, GEORGE - South Dakota State University

Submitted to: Biology of Reproduction
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/2021
Publication Date: 8/1/2021
Citation: Northrop-Albrecht, E.J., Rich, J.J., Cushman, R.A., Yao, R., Ge, X., Perry, G.A. 2021. Influence of estradiol on bovine trophectoderm and uterine gene transcripts around maternal recognition of pregnancy. Biology of Reproduction. 105(2):381-392. Article ioab091. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioab091.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioab091

Interpretive Summary: Proper uterine function is crucial for pregnancy success in cows. Cows that demonstrate behavioral estrus before artificial insemination have greater circulating estrogen concentrations and greater pregnancy success. The current study examined the influence of estrogen on early embryonic survival and uterine function in beef cows. Estrogen did not improve early embryonic survival, but it did influence uterine proteins that improve pregnancy success after early embryonic development. Cow-calf producers should manage cows to improve the percentage demonstrating behavioral estrus when using artificial insemination.

Technical Abstract: Embryo survival and pregnancy success is increased among animals that exhibit estrus prior to fixed time-artificial insemination, but there are no differences in conceptus survival to d16. The objective of this study was to determine effects of preovulatory estradiol on uterine transcriptomes, select trophectoderm (TE) transcripts, and uterine luminal fluid proteins. Beef cows/heifers were synchronized, artificially inseminated (d0), and grouped into either high (highE2) or low (lowE2) preovulatory estradiol. Uteri were flushed (d16); conceptuses and endometrial biopsies (n=29) were collected. RNA sequencing was performed on endometrium. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed on TE (n=21) RNA to measure relative abundance of IFNT, PTGS2, TM4SF1, C3, FGFR2, and GAPDH. Uterine fluid was analyzed using 2D Liquid Chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry-based Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) method. RT-PCR data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS. There were no differences in messenger RNA (mRNA) abundances in TE, but there were 432 differentially expressed genes (253 downregulated, 179 upregulated) in highE2/conceptus versus lowE2/conceptus groups. There were also 48 differentially expressed proteins (19 upregulated, 29 downregulated); 6 of these were differentially expressed (FDR <0.10) at the mRNA level. Similar pathways for mRNA and proteins included: calcium signaling, protein kinase A signaling, and corticotropin-releasing hormone signaling. These differences in uterine function may be preparing the conceptus for improved likelihood of survival after d16 among highE2 animals.