Analysis of Endometrial Gene and Protein Alterations Following Endocrine Disruption in the Pregnant Gilt

Abstract

In the pig, administration of estrogen to gilts on D 9 and 10 of pregnancy causes conceptus fragmentation and death between D 15 to 18 of gestation. Experiment I established normal patterns for gene and protein expression of cyclic and pregnant cyclooxygenase -1 (COX-1) and -2 (COX-2). Experiment II evaluated endometrial expression for COX-1 and -2, prostaglandins, insulin-like growth factor (IGF) -I and -II, and its receptor following early estrogen administration to pregnant gilts. The current study demonstrated early estrogen administration disrupts endometrial synthesis and release of cyclooxygenases and insulin-like growth factors during pregnancy providing a potential mechanism by which total embryonic loss occurs in the pig.