Tumour necrosis factor-α is the signal induced by mating to shutdown a 2-methoxyestradiol nongenomic action necessary to accelerate oviductal egg transport in the rat

Abstract

Mating shut down a 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME) nongenomic action necessary to accelerate egg transport in the rat oviduct. Herein, we investigated whether tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) participates in this mating effect. In unmated and mated rats, we determined the concentration of TNF-α in the oviductal fluid and the level of the mRNA for Tnf-a (Tnf) and their receptors Tnfrsf1a and Tnfrsf1b in the oviduct tissues. The distribution of the TNFRSF1A and TNFRSF1B proteins in the oviduct of unmated and mated was also assessed. Finally, we examined whether 2ME accelerates oviductal egg transport in unmated rats that were previously treated with a rat recombinant TNF-α alone or concomitant with a selective inhibitor of the NF-κB activity. Mating increased TNF-α in the oviductal fluid, but Tnf transcript was not detected in the oviduct. The mRNA for TNF-α receptors as well as their distribution was not affected by mating, although they were mainly localized in the endosalpinx. Administration of TNF-α into the oviduct of unmated rats prevented the effect of 2ME on egg transport. However, the NF-κB activity inhibitor did not revert this effect of TNF-α. These results indicate that mating increased TNF-α in the oviductal fluid, although this not associated with changes in the expression and localization of TNF-α receptors in the oviductal cells. Furthermore, TNF-α mimicked the effect of mating on the 2ME-induced egg transport acceleration, independently of the activation of NF-κB in the oviduct. We concluded that TNF-α is the signal induced by mating to shut down a 2ME nongenomic action in the rat oviduct.

Mating decreases plasma levels of TGFβ1 and regulates myosalpinx expression of TGFβ1/TGFBR3 in the rat

“…Neutralization of TGFβ1 did not mimic the effect of mating on the non‐genomic 2ME activity, consistent with our previous findings that 2ME does not accelerate egg transport in mated rats (Parada‐Bustamante et al, 2007, 2010). Previously, we showed that TNF‐α participates in the repression of the 2ME effect induced by mating (Oróstica et al, ), so mating appears to differentially regulate the role of cytokines like TNF‐α and TGFβ in the rat oviduct. We cannot, however, exclude the involvement of the TGFβ system in this effect because other components of TGFβ signaling were not assessed in this work; indeed, changes in prolactin secretion, immunomodulation of the genital tract, and/or embryo development may be affected by the decrease in circulating TGFβ1 levels induced by mating (reviewed in Erskine, ; Robertson, ; Orihuela et al, ).…”

“…Females were used after showing two consecutive 4‐day cycles. The procedure to obtain unmated and mated rats was previously described by Oróstica et al (). Briefly, females at 0:00 hr on Day 1 of the oestrous cycle were either kept isolated or caged with fertile males for 30 min.…”

“…These effects modulate the immune system, resulting in cellular and molecular changes that may involve the direct interaction between cells of the female reproductive tract and different components of the seminal plasma and/or spermatozoa (reviewed in Sharkey et al, ). We recently showed that the pro‐inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) is induced by mating, and is partly responsible for shutting down the non‐genomic action of 2ME (reviewed in Orihuela et al, ; Oróstica et al, ). Thus, immune‐system components are involved in mating‐induced changes to intraoviductal E 2 or 2ME signaling.…”

Mating induces early transcriptional response in the rat endosalpinx: the role of TNF and RA

“…Previously, we reported that mating regulates oviductal egg transport (Forcelledo et al 1981), oestradiol (E 2 ) metabolism (Parada-Bustamante et al 2007) and changes in the mechanism by which E 2 accelerates oviductal egg transport (Orihuela et al 2001, Parada-Bustamante et al 2010. Regarding the effect of E 2 on oviductal egg transport, we report that this mating effect is mediated by the cytokine TNF (Orostica et al 2013). Interestingly, mating transiently increased the levels of TNF in the oviductal fluid at 3 h poststimulus; moreover, the oviductal epithelium expresses the TNF receptors TNFRA and TNFRB on its luminal face (Orostica et al 2013).…”

The role of mating in oviduct biology

“…Cytokines modulate COMT activity in many organs, including the brain, placenta, and uterus (Wentz et al, ; Tchivileva et al, ; Das, ). Oróstica et al () showed that mating increases TNFα abundance in the oviduct fluid, and that administering this cytokine into the oviduct of cycling rats mimicked the effect of mating, accelerating E 2 ‐induced egg transport. Mating decreased TGFβ1 concentration in the plasma but not the oviduct fluid; however, neutralization of circulating TGFβ1 did not prevent the effect of E 2 on egg transport (Oróstica et al, ).…”