Expression and localization of follicle‐stimulating hormone receptor in the yak uterus during different stages of the oestrous cycle

Abstract

Morphological changes of the uterus and alterations in its secretory activity under the influence of steroid hormones been well documented. The oestrous cycle is also associated with significant changes in plasma follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), whose effects are mediated through its receptor (FSHR). Reports showed that in many mammals, FSHR was expressed in gonadal and extragonadal tissues including cervix, female reproductive tract, and pituitary gland. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) signals through endothelial FSHR directly stimulate angiogenesis and involved in the timing of birth in human, and the presence of FSHR in the placenta is essential for normal pregnancy in mice. But little is known about FSHR expression in the yak uterus. The main objective of the present study was to determine the expression and localization of FSHR in the yak uterus during different phases of the oestrous cycle. Results showed that FSHR protein was localized in the surface and glandular epithelial cells, stroma cells, myometrial smooth muscle cells and blood vessel endothelial cells. The expression of FSHR protein peaked at oestrus, significantly decreased at dioestrus (p < 0.05) and increased again at proestrus. FSHR mRNA was highly expressed at both proestrus and oestrus, and decreased at metestrus with the lowest values at dioestrus (p < 0.05). In conclusion, FSHR expression in the yak uterus changed with the stage of the oestrous cycle suggesting that FSHR plays an essential role in regulating the endometrial and myometrial functions during the oestrus cycle in the yak.

Atlas of Fshr Expression from Novel Reporter Mice

“…This bright Fshr-ZsGreen is more obviously seen in large arteries, such as the ascending aorta and others located in the heart. Similarly, Fshr was detected in vessels in solid malignant tumors by immunohistochemistry or RT‒PCR 71 . However, it was not seen in normal tissues or organs by these methods, possibly due to its rapid turnover, fast degradation, or selected antibodies.…”

“…Similarly, Fshr was detected in vessels in solid malignant tumors by immunohistochemistry or RT-PCR. 52 However, it was not seen in normal tissues or organs by these methods, possibly due to its rapid turnover, fast degradation, or selected antibodies. Strikingly, we detected the highest Fshr-ZsGreen expression in bronchial and bronchiole ciliated epithelial cells by both fluorescence microscopy and ddRT-PCR.…”

Correlation between microbial characteristics and reproductive status of the yak uterus based on macrogenomic analysis

“…Reproductive hormones play an essential role in the growth and development of animals; their expression in the uterus varies with the estrous cycle. For example, the expression of follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) in yaks reaches its peak during estrus, is significantly decreased during late estrus, has lowest expression during the diestrus period, and increases again during the pre-estrus period [ 10 ]. The amounts of estrone (E1) and estradiol (E2) released from the uterine muscle layer in female pigs change with variations in luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).…”

“…Yak FSHR is localized in various cells, including surface and glandular epithelial, stromal, smooth muscle, and vascular endothelial cells. The expression of the FSHR protein peaks during the estrus period, significantly decreases during the diestrus period, and increases again during the proestrus period before estrus [ 10 ]. Female yaks had a negative energy balance after parturition.…”

Label‐free proteomic analysis reveals an estrous cycle transition between the follicular phase and the luteal phase in yak ovary

“…Its fertility could hardly meet the demands of herdsmen and restrict the increase in yak population, as a result of relatively late sexual maturity and short estrous period of 1-2 days even in lush pasture. At present, there have been studies on the uterus (Abudureyimu et al, 2018), oviduct (Wang et al, 2023), lung (Ge et al, 2021), and heart (He et al, 2016) of yaks, but in the transition between luteal phase and follicular phase of yaks, important regulatory proteins in the cycle transition still need to be explored.…”