Conceptus Signals for Establishment and Maintenance of Pregnancy in Pigs – Lipid Signaling System

Abstract

Establishment of pregnancy in pigs requires estrogen secretion by the conceptus. The developmental changes of embryo before implantation and embryo-uterine cross talk are dependent on various biological molecules secreted by the endometrium and conceptus. An integral part of maternal recognition of pregnancy seems to be also the lipid signaling system consisting of prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha and E2 and/or lysophosphatic acid (LPA). The downstream enzymes in PG synthesis pathway are: microsomal PGE synthase-1 (mPGES-1), PGF synthase (PGFS) and prostaglandin 9-ketoreductase/carbonyl reductase (CBR1) which catalyzes conversion of PGE 2 into PGF2 alpha. In contrast to mPGES-1, endometrial PGFS is highly increased on days 13-15 similarly as CBR1 on days 16-17 of the estrous cycle. Potential mechanism by which a conceptus inhibits luteolysis is changing the PGE2/PGF2 alpha ratio in favor of PGE2. It may be result of high expression of mPGES-1 in trophoblast and endometrium on days 10-13 of pregnancy and simultaneously the down-regulation of PGFS and CBR1 in conceptuses during this period. The conceptus can alter expression of endometrial CBR1 to modulate the PGE2/PGF2 alpha ratio in the uterus during the maternal recognition of pregnancy. High expression of conceptus and endometrial terminal PG synthases and CBR1 after initiation of blastocyst attachment suggest their involvement in early placentation. The higher LPA3 receptor mRNA expression during the early pregnancy compared to corresponding period of estrous cycle could indicate an important role of LPA and its receptor during the peri-implantation stage of pregnancy in pigs. Above results suggest that the lipid signaling system is an integral part of establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in the pig.