Expression Of Le～X And Le～Y Antigens In The Early Pregnant Mouse And Its Functional Study

Objective Embryonic implantation involves in many factors includingfucosylated oligosaccharide. The study of our lab found that LeY on theendometriums was expressed highly on the fourth day after pregnancy, andendometriums which exposed to specific antibody to LeYcould be inhibitedin the process of implantation. Moreover LeY was expressed lowly in theendometriums of women who were sterile. All the facts suggested that thisantigen has a close relationship with implantation, but the function neededto be explored further. LeX that is the stage specific embryonic antigen(SSEA) is expressed on the early embryo and expressed highly in the earlypregnant rats' endometriums, but the function is beyond known. Ovary andoviduct are of the parts reproductive organ and they play important role inthe early pregnant process. But there was no reports about whether theyexpress LeX and LeY or not. So firstly, we intend to study further thefunction how LeY influence the implantation of the mammal. Secondly, wewant to explore the function of LeX expressed on the early pregnant rats'endometriums. Thirdly, we intend to understand the expression andlocation of LeX and LeY in the oviduct and ovary of the early pregnantmouse then induce the possible functions. Method To examine the expression of LeX and LeY antigens inmouse endometriums ,oviduct and ovary of pregnancy after 1-7 day withimmunohistochemical method. To examine the expression of FUT9 whichis the key emzyme of LeX and the expression of FUT1and FUT4 whichform the LeY using the RT-PCR. To testify the expression of LeY in ovaryof the early pregnant mouse with Western blot. Result In mouse endometriums LeX expressed highly on the glandon the third day after pregnancy and it was relatively high on the third dayafter pregnancy and distributed on luminal epithelium. LeY expressedhighly on the fourth day after pregnancy, then it became to wane, but onthe luminal epithelium, it expressed lowly on the first day, during thefollowing day they maintained the moderate level. It expressed relativelyhigh on the implantation site. In oviduct LeX and LeY expressed lowly onthe first day after pregnancy, and on the third day after pregnancy, theyexpressed highly, then they become wane gradually. But on the seventh daythey still expressed at low level, and the positive sites were secretary cellsand ciliated cells. and LeY expressed strongly in the mouse ovary of thefourth day after pregnancy and mainly located in corpus luteum andstroma .The result of RT-PCR showed that the genes of FUT1and FUT4 aswell as FUT9 shared the same expressing tendency, and they all expressedhighly on the D3.The result of western-blot showed that LeY expressedstrongly on D4 in the mouse ovary Conclusion The study showed that LeX and LeY antigens expressedand located on the endometrium, oviduct and ovary of early pregnantmouse, the expression of genes of enzymes which regulated the formationof the two oligosaccharides was also observed. The result showed that LeXexpressed in a relatively high level in the pregnant mouse endometriumsduring the implantation window, Based on the known information onstructure and function, we suggest that it probably play an important role inthe implantation process.