PARENT SESSION
BIOLOGY OF THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT
Harborside C
7:30 AM-10:00 AM

(557) Muc-1 EXPRESSION BY CAPRINE ENDOMETRIAL TISSUES OBTAINED DURING THE ESTROUS CYCLE AND EARLY PREGNANCY.

Woldesenbet, Selamawit¹, Garcia, Ramon¹, Igbo, Nenna¹, Leake, Jamila¹, Lewis, Shae¹, Newton, Gary¹, ¹ Cooperative Agricultural Research Center, Prairie View, TX

ABSTRACT- Muc-1 is present on the apical surface of lumenal (L) uterine epithelial (UE) cells of pre-receptive uteri in a variety of species. Muc-1 expression increases during the receptive phase in rabbits and humans, but is locally reduced at sites of conceptus apposition. In rodents, sheep and swine, Muc-1 expression is reduced just prior to implantation suggesting factors necessary for conceptus attachment are unmasked. The H-type 1 carbohydrate antigen (H1) may be involved in murine blastocyst - LUE cell interactions. In the goat, H1 is temporally expressed on the apical surface of LUE cells during the peri-implantation period. Since Muc-1 expression in the caprine uterus has not been evaluated, our goal was to establish the relationship between endometrial Muc-1 and H1. Endometrial tissues were obtained on Day (D) 5, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 of the estrous cycle (Cy) and pregnancy (P) and D 25 of pregnancy (n=5 goats/day). Frozen tissue sections were analyzed using immunofluorescent microscopy. When tissues were reacted with a polyclonal antibody (CT-1) to Muc-1, moderate staining of LUE cells was detected on D5Cy and D5P. Staining was decreased on D11 in both Cy and P tissues. Moderate apical staining of LUE cells returned on D13Cy and D13P. Staining then increased with uniform and strong apical staining of LUE cells maintained between D15Cy and D19Cy. The moderate staining which characterized D15P LUE cells was decreased between D17P and D19P with only localized moderate staining detected. Strong and uniform staining of LUE cells was apparent on D25P. Glandular (G) UE cells displayed moderate staining for Muc-1 on all days except D11Cy and D11P when staining was weak and D25P when staining was strong. Staining for H1, resolved using FITC-labeled UEA-1, followed the same pattern as previously reported. There was no difference in staining between Cy and P tissue. Staining of LUE cells was moderate to strong on D5 but weak between D11 and 13. Strong apical staining of LUE cells on D15 was maintained between D17 and D19 but less uniform with intermittent unstained areas. Only light apical staining and distinct aggregate staining of clusters of LUE cells was detected on D25P. Therefore, Muc-1 and H1 have similar distribution patterns during the Cy. During pregnancy recognition H1 staining increases while Muc-1 is variable. USDA #00-38814-9506

KEY WORDS: muc-1, h-type 1, uterus, placentation