Trophinin Expression and Regulation in the Porcine Uterus and Embryo during the Time of Embryo Implantation
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Trophinin is an intrinsic membrane-bound protein that mediates homophilic cell adhesion by interacting with two cytoplasmic proteins, tastin and bystin. Trophinin is expressed in the uterus and embryos of primates, humans, and mice. The goals of our study were; 1) To determine whether the porcine uterus and embryo express trophinin transcripts and protein and 2) To determine whether ovarian steroids regulate uterine trophinin expression. Uterine tissue from pregnant and non-pregnant animals from various days of the reproductive cycle, liver, spleen, and heart were isolated from sexually mature gilts (n = 46) and analyzed for expression of trophinin mRNA transcripts. Ovariectomized gilts, given hormone replacement treatments, were examined for the presence of trophinin mRNA. Embryos were collected from bred pigs on days 7, 11, and 14 post-breeding. The embryos were tested for the presence of trophinin transcripts by RT-PCR analysis. Reverse Transcriptase (RT) PCR analysis demonstrated that trophinin mRNA was present in pregnant and non-pregnant porcine uteri. Over 80% of the DNA sequence of the porcine trophinin gene is homologous to human trophinin. Trophinin was expressed in all endometrial cells throughout the uterus, and the presence of an embryo did not affect trophinin expression by the uterus. Trophinin mRNA transcripts were detected at day 14 of the estrous cycle, and expression was maintained until day 24 in animals that established pregnancy. Porcine embryos showed high levels of trophinin expression around day 14 of development, which is during the window of implantation in the pig. Furthermore, this timeframe is when the filamentous embryo achieves superficial adhesion to the uterus. Progesterone induced the expression of trophinin in ovariectomized gilts given hormone replacement. Our results show that trophinin is expressed in the porcine uterus and blastocyst at the time of implantation, suggesting that it may be involved in the regulation of implantation in the pig.
Source: Figshare
Language: English
Subfield: Agronomy and Crop Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7117068148