Various Cell Death Patterns During Early Pregnant Uterus in Mouse

Abstract

Tissue remodeling and homeostasis is maintained through cell proliferation and death. In mammals, the pregnancy is also accomplished by the proliferation and differentiation of uterine cells. During early pregnancy remodeling and homeostasis both of the epithelial tissue are dramatically progressed with the cell proliferation and embryo invasion. Now, the accepted forms of active cell death are apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis. Also, initial path of PCD was duplicated each other. In the pregnant uterus, programmed cell death, apoptosis, is a suggested main death mechanism. However, so far, it is controversy because some of the apoptotic markers are expressed with complex in uterus. In this study, the death related signaling mediators were analyzed to evaluate the death pathways which are specific to the physiological status. The expression profiles of mRNA and proteins of the key regulators in each cell death processes were analyzed using general PCR, real-time PCR, and Western blot. Tissue or cell specific expressions of them were analyzed with immunohistochemistry methodology. The expression levels both in mRNA and protein levels were fluctuated by the physiological status specific manners. Apoptosis specific protein, expression of cleaved caspase3 was increased day1, 2 and then was steadily decreased until day7 and increased on day9, 12. The expression patterns were similar in physiological level. Autophagy specific protein, expression of LC3B was relatively increased on day 1, 2. In physiological level, LC3B expression was increased from day1 up to day3 relatively so these results were significant. Necroptosis specific protein, phosphorylated MLKL was high expression on day 1, 2 relatively and then was decreased until day7 and increased on day9, 12. The patterns were significant. Although PCD signaling path in cell needs further study, death markers for apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis are overall expression during early pregnancy in mouse uterus. Also these results mean that not only apoptosis but other types of cell deaths are compiled in early pregnancy remodeling and homeostasis.