Related Experiment Videos
Glycosylation changes during differentiation of the murine uterine epithelium
S J Kimber1, R E Stones, S S Sidhu
1School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, 3.239 Stopford Building, Oxford Rd., Manchester M13 9PT, U.K. skimber@fs1.scg.man.ac.uk
In mouse uterine luminal epithelium (LE) several terminal carbohydrate structures are regulated by ovarian steroids and show stage-specific expression during early pregnancy. We have demonstrated that expression of H-type-1 antigen (Fucalpha1-2Galbeta1-3GlcNAcbeta1-) is regulated by oestrogenic stimulation of alpha1-2fucosyltransferase (fut1) mRNA levels in LE. H-type-1 expression is high after ovulation but becomes negligible after implantation. In contrast, NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-, and specifically sialyl Le-x (NeuAcalpha2,3Galbeta1,4[Fucalpha1-3]GlcNAcbeta1-), is stimulated by progesterone. It is not expressed on LE after ovulation but is expressed maximally on apical LE at the time of and after implantation. However, mRNA levels for 4 out of 5 known Gal/GalNAc alpha2-3sialyltransferases appear not to change in LE during early pregnancy, suggesting an alternative level of control.
In mouse uterine luminal epithelium (LE) several terminal carbohydrate structures are regulated by ovarian steroids and show stage-specific expression during early pregnancy. We have demonstrated that expression of H-type-1 antigen (Fucalpha1-2Galbeta1-3GlcNAcbeta1-) is regulated by oestrogenic stimulation of alpha1-2fucosyltransferase (fut1) mRNA levels in LE. H-type-1 expression is high after ovulation but becomes negligible after implantation. In contrast, NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-, and specifically sialyl Le-x (NeuAcalpha2,3Galbeta1,4[Fucalpha1-3]GlcNAcbeta1-), is stimulated by progesterone. It is not expressed on LE after ovulation but is expressed maximally on apical LE at the time of and after implantation. However, mRNA levels for 4 out of 5 known Gal/GalNAc alpha2-3sialyltransferases appear not to change in LE during early pregnancy, suggesting an alternative level of control.