HISTOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY

Cellular and Molecular Biology

 

Differential expression of prostaglandin E receptor subtype EP2 in rat uterus during early pregnancy

J.J. Shi, X.H. Ma, H.L. Diao, H. Ni, L.B. Xu, H. Zhu and Z.M. Yang

College of Life Sciences, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China

Offprint requests to: Zeng-Ming Yang, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China. e-mail: zmyang@mail.neau.edu.cn


Summary. PGE2 is essential for mammalian female reproduction. This study was to examine the expression of EP2 gene in the rat uterus during early pregnancy, delayed implantation and artificial decidualization by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. There was no detectable EP2 mRNA expression in the uterus from days 1 to 4 of pregnancy (day 1 = day of vaginal sperm). A low level of EP2 immunostaining was observed in the luminal and glandular epithelium from days 1 to 4 of pregnancy. Both EP2 mRNA and protein expression were highly detected in the luminal epithelium at implantation sites on day 6 of pregnancy. EP2 expression decreased from day 7 of pregnancy and was undetectable on days 8 and 9 of pregnancy. After delayed implantation was terminated by estrogen treatment and the embryo implanted, both EP2 mRNA and protein expression were strongly observed in the luminal epithelium at the implantation site. There was no detectable EP2 expression in both control and decidualized uteri. In conclusion, these data suggest that EP2 expression at implantation site may play an important role during embryo implantation in rats. Histol Histopathol 20, 1021-1028 (2005)

Key words: Prostaglandin, EP2, Rat, Uterus, Pregnancy

DOI: 10.14670/HH-20.1021