Differential expression, during the estrous cycle and pre- and postimplantation conceptus development, of messenger ribonucleic acids encoding components of the pig uterine insulin-like growth factor system.

Abstract

The temporal patterns of endometrial expression for mRNAs encoding insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), IGF-II, IGF-binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2), and the type I IGF receptor (IGF-IR) were elucidated in cyclic and pregnant pigs. Peak levels of IGF-I mRNAs occurred on day 12 in cyclic and early pregnant gilts, while IGFBP-2 mRNA levels were lowest on day 10. Pregnant gilt endometrium had higher levels of both RNA classes than the corresponding cyclic endometrium. IGF-II and IGF-IR mRNAs remained low during this period. In pregnant pig endometrium and rat uterus, levels of IGF-I mRNA decreased, while those of IGF-II and IGFBP-2 mRNAs increased with stage of pregnancy. Decreased endometrial production of IGF-I mRNA during pregnancy paralleled that in the myometrium. IGF-II mRNA tissue abundance was placenta greater than endometrium greater than myometrium. In contrast, IGFBP-2 mRNA levels were higher in endometrium than in placenta and myometrium. Endometrial expression of IGF-II mRNAs was limited to surface and glandular epithelial cells; epithelial and stromal cells expressed IGFBP-2 mRNAs at comparable levels. Expression of IGF-IR mRNAs was low and did not change with pregnancy. The endometria of two breeds of pigs that exhibit different levels of prolificacy were also examined for IGF mRNAs. On day 12, endometrium from the Large White breed with high conceptus mortality had higher levels of IGF-II and IGFBP-2 mRNAs than did endometrium from the Meishan breed with low conceptus mortality. Expression of IGF-I mRNAs was higher in endometria of Meishan than Large White gilts on day 12. The differential expression of IGF mRNAs with stage of gestation and the correlation of relative ratios of IGF mRNAs with prolificacy during the critical period of maternal recognition of pregnancy suggest an important role(s) for IGFs in conceptus and fetal development.