• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.71-76
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• 2009

Salivary lipocalin (SAL1) is a member of the lipocalin protein family that has a property to associate with many lipophilic molecules. The importance of SAL1 during pregnancy in pigs has been suggested by our previous study which has shown that SAL1 is expressed in the uterine endometrium in a cell type- and implantation stage-specific manner and secreted into the uterine lumen. However, function of SAL1 in the uterus during pregnancy in pigs is not known. To understand SAL1 function in the uterus during pregnancy, we generated recombinant porcine SAL1 protein in an insect cell line. Porcine SAL1 cDNA was cloned into a baculovirus expression vector using RT-PCR and total RNA from uterine endometrium on day 12 of pregnancy, and the expression vector was used to generate recombinant Bacmid containing the SAL1 gene. The recombinant Bacmid was then transfected Sf9 cell to produce recombinant baculovirus. By infecting Sf9 cell with recombinant baculovirus, we established a SAL1-expressing insect cell expression system. Immunoblot analysis confirmed SAL1 expression in the infected cells. Recombinant SAL1 produced by the Sf9 cell line will be useful for understanding physiological function of SAL1 during pregnancy in pigs.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.325-330
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• 2005

Objective: To investigate the histologic features of the uterus and adnexae extirpated from gender identity disorder (GID) patients that received depot androgen injection. Methods: We reviewed the histologic findings of the uterus and adnexae removed from sixteen GID patients, who had taken depot androgen injection for 5~168 months. Results: Fourteen patients (87.5%) showed the atrophied epithelium of exocervix and all of 16 patients (100%) showed the atrophy of endometrium. Seven patients (43.7%) showed multiple cystic follicles in the ovarian cortex and 6 patients (37.5%), 3 patients (18.7%) showed corpus albicans and corpus luteum, respectively. Conclusions: Exogenous androgen induced atrophy of cervix and endometrium. This effect was more prominent in the endometrium. In addition, PCO-like histologic features were observed in the ovary.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.257-263
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• 2013

The endometrium undergoes a cyclic growth and tissue remodeling as changes of epithelial cells, and plasminogen activators (PAs) are related to endometrium tissue remodeling. This study was to evulate expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) in porcine uterine epithelial cells. In results, the uPA and tPA were expressed in uterine tissue, epithelium and secretory glands in porcine endometrial cell. In addition, the uPA and tPA were expressed in cultured epithelial cells, and it were mainly expressed in cytoplasm. In porcine uterine tissue and epithelial cells, uPA activity was higher than activity in tPA. In PAs mRNA expression levels, uPA mRNA level was significantly higher than tPA mRNA level (P<0.05). The fluorescence intensity of uPA protein was also higher than fluorescence intensity of tPA protein, and uPA protein expression was significantly higher than in tPA protein expression (P<0.05). Therefore, we suggest that a physiological function in porcine uterine epithelial cells should be more influenced by uPA than in tPA during pre-ovulatory phase.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 2007

This study was carried out to examine gene expression altered in endometrium of Korean cattle (Hanwoo) with endometritis using microarray. In this study, 4,560 diferentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the endometrium of Hanwoo. Of 4,560 DEGs, 2,026 genes were up-regulated, while 2,536 genes were down-regulated in endometritis. Of them, top 10 regulated genes were listed. Filamin A, pancreatic anionic trypsinogen, Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor alpha, collagen type VI alpha 1, butyrate response factor 2, aggrecanses-2, annexin 14, aminopeptidease A, orphan transporter v7-3, and epithelial stromal interaction 1 were up-regulated, while MHC class II antigen, integrin-binding sialoprotein, uterine milk protein precursor, down-regulated in colon cancer 1, glycoprotein 330, dickkopf-1, cfh protein, $Ca^{2+}-dependent$ secretion activator, UL16 binding protein 3, and proenkephalin were down-regulated in the endometritis. Our results suggest that these genes could be useful biomarkers for diagnosis Hanwoo's endometritis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.205-212
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• 2010

Endometritis is one of the primary reasons for reproductive failure. In order to investigate endometritis-associated marker proteins, proteomic analysis was performed on bovine endometrium with endometritis. In bovine endometritis, desmin, $\alpha$-actin-2, heat-shock protein (HSP) 27, peroxiredoxin-6, luteinizing hormone receptor isoform 1, collectin-43 precursor, deoxyribonuclease-I (DNase-I), and MHC class I heavy chain (MHC-Ih) were up-regulated. In contrast, transferrin, interleukin-2 precursor, hemoglobin $\beta$ subunit, and potassium channel tetramerisation domaincontaining 11 (KCTD11) were down-regulated in comparison to normal endometrium. The proteomic results were validated by semiquantitative-PCR and immunoblot analysis. The mRNA levels of desmin, transferrin, $\alpha$-actin-2, HSP27, KCTD11, and MHC-Ih were up-regulated by over 1.5-fold, and showed a pattern similar to their proteomic profiles. Desmin and $\alpha$-actin-2 protein showed positive correlations between proteomic analysis and immunoblot analysis. These results suggest that desmin and $\alpha$-actin-2 may play important roles in endometritis-related function, and could be useful markers for the diagnosis of bovine endometritis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1999

In order to study the implantation mechanism various methods for culture of endometrial cells in vitro have been attempted. However, a disadvantage is that primary cultures of stromal and epithelial cells do not have the ability to differentiate, and therefore cannot be reproduced in the same manner as in vivo endometrium. The object of this study is to establish a three dimensional culture of endometrial cells which are both morphologically and functionally identical to in vivo endometrium. Endometrial tissues obtained after hysterectomies were cut into thin slices and treated with collagenase and trypsin-EDTA. The stromal cells and the epithelial cells were separated by centrifugation and cultured for 24 hours in DMEM media containing 10% FCS, 100 nM progesterone, and 1 nM estradiol. The cultured stromal cells were mixed with collagen gel and solidified, after which it was covered with matrigel. Epithelial cells were inoculated on the top and then cultured for 3 days. The three dimensionally cultured endometrial cells were stained for integrin ${\alpha}1,\;{\alpha}4,\;{\beta}3$, and cyclooxygenase-l, -2 by immunohistochemistry, which all showed strong expression. The cultured epithelial cells showed the formation of microvilli, tight junctions and pinopodes by electron microscopy. Studies are currently under way utilizing this three dimensional culture model to ascertain the interaction between the embryo and human endometrial cells at the time of implantation, and it is thought that further studies into a new culture environment which would allow longer periods of culture will be necessary.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.89-98
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• 2023

Background: The regulation of maternal immunity is critical for the establishment and maintenance of successful pregnancy. Among many cell types regulating the immune system, innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are known to play an important role in innate immunity. Although some reports show that ILCs are present at the maternalconceptus interface in humans and mice, the expression and function of ILCs in the endometrium have not been studied in pigs. Methods: Thus, we determined the expression, localization, and regulation of ILC markers, CD127 (a common marker for ILCs), BCL11B (a ILC2 marker), and RORC (a ILC3 marker) at the maternal-conceptus interface in pigs. Results: The expression of BCL11B and RORC, but not CD127, in the endometrium changed during pregnancy in a stage-specific manner and the expression of CD127, BCL11B, and RORC was greatest on Day 15 during pregnancy. CD127, BCL11B, and RORC were also expressed in conceptus tissues during early pregnancy and in chorioallantoic tissues during the later stage of pregnancy. BCL11B and RORC proteins were localized to specific cells in endometrial stroma. The expression of CD127 and BCL11B, but not RORC, was increased by the increasing doses of interferon-γ (IFNG) in endometrial explants. Conclusions: These results suggest that ILCs present at the maternal-conceptus interface may play a role in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy by regulating the innate immunity in pigs.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.254-262
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• 2023

Background: Water deer and sika deer, which breed in the wild environment, are known to have similar reproductive physiology mechanisms. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the differences in uterine development between water deer and sika deer during estrus. Methods: MMPs and uterine development-related factors were analyzed and morphological differences were compared in the uterus of sika deer captured near Russia near Korea and water deer captured in the wild in Korea. Results: In terms of morphological differences in the uterus, the glands that form villus within the endometrium of the water deer were newly developed, and the formation of small glands was high, but the villus and glands of the sika deer were expanded, and the stroma zone in the myometrium was higher than that of the water deer. Development has increased. Additionally, the expression of PAPP-A and VEGF factors was increased in the endometrium of water deer than in sika deer, but the actions of MMPs were increased in sika deer. Conclusions: As a result of this study, there is a significant difference in the development of glands in the endometrium of water deer and sika deer during estrus, and it is believed that there is a significant difference in the development of the uterus due to the physiological effects of estrus between water deer and sika deer. Additionally, it is believed that there will be differences in the timing at which pregnancy can be decided.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2005

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of aromatase inhibitor (AI) for ovulation induction in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients with thin endometrium, hyper-responsiveness after clomiphene citrate (CC) treatment. Material and Methods: A prospective study was performed in 43 PCOS patients (50 cycles) with ovulatory dysfunction between March 2004 and September 2004. AI group (total 36 cycles) included the patients 1) with thin endometrium below 6 mm on hCG day after CC (n=17), 2) with more than 5 ovulatory follicles after 50mg of CC (n=4), 3) who do not want multiple pregnancy (n=14). Patients were treated with Letrozole 2.5mg for days 3 to 7 of the menstrual cycle. CC group (total 14 cycles) were treated with CC 50~100 mg. Results: In PCOS patients, ovulation was occurred 97.2% after AI use. Between AI group and CC group, there was no significant difference in the mean age, duration of infertility, interval of menstruation, basal FSH, prior treatment cycles, and the day of hCG administration. But, the number of mature follicles (${\geq}15mm$) was lower in the AI group ($1.08{\pm}0.45$ vs. $1.64{\pm}0.75$) (p=0.018), and the thickness of endometrium (mm) was significantly thicker in the AI group ($10.35{\pm}1.74$ vs. $9.23{\pm}1.61$) (p=0.044), and E2 (pg/ml) concentration on hCG day was lower in the AI group ($116.9{\pm}75.8$ vs. $479.5{\pm}300.8$) (p=0.001). Among the AI group, patients with prior thin endometrium (below 6 mm) during CC treatment showed $10.6{\pm}1.6mm$ in the endometrial thickness and $106.6{\pm}66.8pg/ml$ in $E_2$ concentration. Patients with more than 5 ovulatory follicles after CC showed decreased follicle number ($1.25{\pm}0.5$) compared to prior CC cycle. Conclusions: In PCOS patients, AI group showed significantly thicker endometrium, lesser number of mature follicles, and lower E2 concentration on hCG day than CC group. AI might be useful alternative treatment for ovulation induction in PCOS patients with thin endometrium and hyper-responsiveness after CC treatment.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1997.11a
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• pp.68-69
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• 1997