Abstract
Introduction The importance of seminal vesicle secretion and uterine Wnt signaling for uterus preparation and embryo implantation has been described. Materials and Methods In this study, we evaluated the gene expression of Wnt ligands (Wnt4 and Wnt5a) and their corresponding receptors (Fzd2 and Fzd6) using qRT-PCR and active β-catenin protein levels using western blotting in the uterine tissue of female mice mated with intact and seminal vesicle-excised (SVX) males during the pre-implantation window. We evaluated the association between these factors and implantation rates and embryo spacing. Results mRNA expression of Wnt4 and Wnt5a and active β-catenin protein levels decreased from Day 1 to Day 4, but reached a peak on the fifth day of pregnancy. Fzd2 also reached its highest level on Day 5. Fzd6 expression showed a decreasing trend towards the day of implantation. Lack of seminal vesicle secretion decreased Wnt4 and Wnt5a expression on Days 1 and 5 and β-catenin levels on Day 5. There were almost no significant differences in expression levels of the Fzd2 and Fzd6 receptors between groups. There were positive and negative correlations, respectively, between implantation rates and embryo spacing and Wnt4, Wnt5a and active β-catenin in the control group, but such correlations were not observed in the SVX-mated mice. Conclusions Significant changes occurred in the expression of several Wnt signaling members and there was a significant association between Wnt signaling and embryo implantation. Seminal vesicle secretion affects Wnt signaling in mice and consequently also affects murine embryo implantation.
Highlights
The importance of seminal vesicle secretion and uterine Wnt signaling for uterus preparation and embryo implantation has been described
The mRNA expression of Wnt signaling factors in the uteri of control and seminal vesicle excised (SVX)-mated mice during the pre-implantation window is shown in ▶ Fig. 2 a and b, respectively
Fzd6 expression peaked on the second day of pregnancy in both groups, and on this day, expression was higher compared to other pre-implantation days
Summary
The importance of seminal vesicle secretion and uterine Wnt signaling for uterus preparation and embryo implantation has been described. Materials and Methods In this study, we evaluated the gene expression of Wnt ligands (Wnt and Wnt5a) and their corresponding receptors (Fzd and Fzd6) using qRT‐PCR and active β-catenin protein levels using western blotting in the uterine tissue of female mice mated with intact and seminal vesicleexcised (SVX) males during the pre-implantation window. Successful embryo implantation is dependent on the timely establishment of uterine receptivity to prepare for maternal-embryo crosstalk [1] This preparation occurs during the short period of time referred to as the pre-implantation window which is associated with a sequential alteration of various signaling pathways as well as with uterine cell proliferation and differentiation [2, 3]. Studies in mice with β-cateninnegative uteri have shown that this pathway is essential for implantation and pregnancy [11]
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