Maternal-fetal communication: role of fetal estrogens in porcine pregnancy
Autor
Viglierchio, Maria
Williams, Sara
Garcia, Monica
Lacolla, Daniel
Marron, Yolanda
Moscovakis, Erika
Koncurat, Mirta
Yaful, Graciela
Institución
Resumen
Fil: Yaful, Graciela. Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro; Argentina Fil: Moscovakis, Erika. Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro; Argentina Fil: Garcia, Monica. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Argentina Fil: Lacolla, Daniel. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Argentina Fil: Williams, Sara. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; Argentina Fil: Viglierchio, Maria. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Argentina Fil: Marron, Yolanda. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Argentina Fil: Koncurat, Mirta. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Argentina Pregnancy in the pig is characterized by rapid development and endocrinological changes involving the conceptus and the uterine environment. Progesterone and estrogens act through their specific receptors. Progesterone receptors (PGRA and PGRB) and estrogens receptors (ERα and ERβ) have been shown to have different functional activities. Objectives: This work was performed to investigate: a) progesterone and estrogens concentration in serum from mother and placental extracts from maternal and fetal homogenates (HoPM y HoPF), b) PGRA, PGRB, ERα, ERβ expressions in endometrium of non-pregnant sows and porcine placenta of 5, 17, 30 and 70 days of gestation (dg). Methods: Genital tracts from pregnant (n = 16) and non-pregnant sows (n = 8) were obtained at the slaughterhouses. Immunohistochemmistry was used to explore PGRA, PGRB, ERα, and ERβ, while progesterone and estrogens concentrations were measured by chemiluminescence. Results: At 17 and 70 dg a significant (P<0.05) increase of estrogens in the HoPF (17 dg = 12 0.65 fold; 70 dg = 3.69 0.18 fold) was observed. Trofoblastic ERβ nuclear immunoexpresion was observed only at 17 and 70 dg. Maternal tissues expressed ERβ in endometrial glands until 17 dg while PGRA was expressed at all studied stages. Conclusions: Although progesterone is the hormone that maintains gestation, the results suggest that fetal estrogens binding to trophoblastic ERβ promotes the synthesis and release of signal molecules related to maternal immunotolerance and subsequent placental remodeling.