Proteomic profile alterations in porcine conceptuses during early stages of development

Abstract

The dynamic embryo development during the early stages of gestation requires precise molecular changes, including proteomic ones. We aimed to find unique proteins for porcine conceptuses specifically during the peri-implantation period, i.e. on days 15–16 of pregnancy. The proteomic profile of these conceptuses was compared with conceptuses at an earlier stage of the development, i.e. collected during maternal recognition of pregnancy on days 12–13 of pregnancy. The 2DE, gel image analysis, and MALDI TOF mass spectrometry were used 500 protein spots were annotated as common to conceptuses harvested during both studied periods. Proteomic profile of the conceptuses collected during the peri-implantation period contains 24 unique proteins. Identified unique for the peri-implantation period proteins are involved in adhesion processes, cadherin, and actin-binding, and actin filament organization, extracellular matrix organization, and cytoskeleton organization. Systemic analysis of identified proteins confirmed their involvement in cell adhesion and cytoskeletal organization as being two major affected functions. The unique proteins might be recognized as factors conditioning the proper peri-implantation embryo development and gaining competences for implantation. In further studies, BRCA1 might be considered as a candidate for a potential marker of embryonic competences for implantation in pigs.