Concentration effect of prostaglandin E₂ on the growth factor expression and cell proliferation in bovine endometrial explants and their kinetic characteristics

Abstract

Bovine endometrium undergoes various physiological and histological changes that are necessary for blastocyst implantation during oestrous cycle. From pro-oestrus to late-oestrus, endometrium thickens gradually for implantation preparation and exhibits remarkable capacity for self-repair after uterine lining shedding while implantation does not occur. The prostaglandin E (PGE ) secretion pattern is synchronized with endometrial growth during oestrous cycles in bovine endometrium; however, limited information is available regarding the association between PGE secretion and endometrial growth. In this study, the concentration (10 to 10 M) and time effect (2-36 hr) of PGE treatment on a series of growth factors are essential for endometrial growth including connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), interleukin-8 (IL-8), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) mRNA and protein expression, and proliferation of epithelial and fibroblast cells was investigated in bovine endometrial explants in vitro. The results indicated that PGE at concentration about 10 to 10 M could up-regulate CTGF, FGF-2, IL-8, MMP-2, TGF-β1, VEGFA mRNA and protein expression, and could induce the proliferation of epithelial and fibroblast cells and reduce the proapoptotic factor (caspase-3) expression in bovine endometrial explants in vitro. These results collectively improved the possibility of PGE functions in endometrial growth during oestrous cycles.

Peptidoglycan Switches Off the TLR2-Mediated Sperm Recognition and Triggers Sperm Localization in the Bovine Endometrium

“…Ex vivo organ explants of endometrium from pre-ovulatory uteri were cultured according to a previously detailed protocol ( 18 , 19 ), with minor modifications. Fresh, intact endometrial explants were pre-exposed to PGN (10 pg ml −1 ) for 3 h followed by co-culture with sperm for 3 h. Microscopically, examined explants maintained typical histomorphology and adequate tissue viability as confirmed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) tissue sections ( 24 ) and the mRNA expression of apoptotic caspase 3 ( 25 ).…”

Sperm enter glands of preovulatory bovine endometrial explants and initiate inflammation

“…The explants were incubated in a 38.5°C incubator with 5% CO 2 in humidified air for 15 min before experiments were initiated. Normal tissue architecture and the viability of the explants were confirmed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) tissue sections (Borges et al 2012) and Caspase 3 mRNA expression (Zhang et al 2018).…”

Toll‐like receptor 2 mediates the immune response of the bovine oviductal ampulla to sperm binding

“…To determine the viability of the incubated explants and sperm, time‐dependent observations of the ciliary beating of the epithelial cells (Video 1), sperm motility (Video 2), and Casp 3 mRNA expression (Zhang et al, 2018) were performed. Fluorescence microscopy (Keyence, BZ‐X800) was used to visualize the surface of the explant and ensure that the epithelium was intact (Figure 1).…”