Effects of progesterone and interferon tau on ovine endometrial phosphate, calcium, and vitamin D signaling

• Published in: Biology of reproduction Vol. 106; no. 5; pp. 888 - 899
• Main Authors: Stenhouse, Claire, Halloran, Katherine M., Moses, Robyn M., Seo, Heewon, Gaddy, Dana, Johnson, Gregory A., Wu, Guoyao, Suva, Larry J., Bazer, Fuller W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Society for the Study of Reproduction 17.05.2022; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Animals; calcium; Calcium - metabolism; Calcium phosphates; Calcium signalling; Catheters; Corn; Corn Oil - metabolism; Corn Oil - pharmacology; Edible oils; Endometrium; Endometrium - metabolism; Estrus cycle; Female; Fibroblast growth factor 23; Gene expression; Implantation; Interferon; interferon tau; Interferon Type I - metabolism; Mifepristone - pharmacology; mRNA; ovine; phosphate; Phosphates - metabolism; Phosphates - pharmacology; placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Proteins; Progesterone; Progesterone - metabolism; Progesterone - pharmacology; Proteins - metabolism; RESEARCH ARTICLE; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Sheep; Sheep, Domestic; Uterus; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - pharmacology; calcium; interferon tau; vitamin D; progesterone; phosphate; endometrium; placenta; ovine
• ISSN: 0006-3363; 1529-7268
• DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac027

Given recent reports of expression of postnatal mineral transport regulators at the maternal–conceptus interface during the peri-implantation period, this study tested the hypothesis that progesterone (P4) and interferon tau (IFNT) regulate phosphate, calcium, and vitamin D signaling in the ovine endometrium. Mature Rambouillet ewes (n = 24) were surgically fitted with intrauterine catheters on day 7 of the estrous cycle. Ewes received daily intramuscular injections of 50 mg of P4 in corn oil vehicle and 75 mg of progesterone receptor antagonist (RU486) in corn oil from days 8 to 15, and twice-daily intrauterine injections of either control proteins (CX) or IFNT (25 µg/uterine horn/day) from days 11 to 15 resulting in four treatment groups: P4 + CX; P4 + IFNT; RU486 + P4 + CX; and RU486 + P4 + IFNT. On day 16, ewes were hysterectomized. RU486 + P4 + CX treated ewes had lower concentrations of 25 (OH) D in plasma than P4 + CX treated ewes (P < 0.05). Endometria from ewes treated with IFNT had greater expression of FGF23 (P < 0.01), S100A9 (P < 0.05), and S100A12 (P = 0.05) mRNAs and lower expression of ADAM10 mRNA (P < 0.01) than of ewes treated with CX proteins. Expression of FGF23 mRNA was greater in endometria of ewes that received RU486 + P4 + IFNT than in ewes that received RU486 + P4 + CX (hormone × protein interaction, P < 0.05). The expression of S100G mRNA was greater in endometria of ewes that received P4 + IFNT compared to ewes that received RU486 + P4 + IFNT (P < 0.05; hormone × protein interaction, P < 0.01). These data implicate P4 and IFNT in the regulation of phosphate, calcium, and vitamin D signaling during the peri-implantation period of pregnancy and provide a platform for continued mechanistic investigations. Summary Sentence Progesterone and interferon tau regulate phosphate, calcium, and vitamin D signaling during the ovine peri-implantation period.