Transcriptome analyses of bovine, porcine and equine endometrium during the pre-implantation phase

Different reproductive strategies evolved in various mammalian groups to achieve recognition, establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. The complexity of these processes is reflected by a high incidence of embryonic loss during this critical period in many mammalian species. Besides studies in mice and humans a number of transcriptome studies of endometrial tissue samples and also of early embryos have been performed during the pre-implantation phase in cattle, swine and horse to identify genes associated with embryo-maternal interaction. Results of these studies are reviewed and compared between species. The comparison of data sets from different species indicated a general role of interferons for the establishment of pregnancy. In addition to many species-specific changes in gene expression, which may reflect different pregnancy recognition signals and mechanisms of embryo implantation, a number of transcriptome changes were found to be similar across species. These genes may have conserved roles during the establishment of pregnancy in mammals and reflect basic principles of mammalian reproduction. The relevance and strategies, but also the challenges of cross-species comparisons of gene expression data are discussed.