Imakawa Kazuhiko, Bai Rulan, Nakamura Keigo, Kusama Kazuya
Animal Resource Science Center, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the University of Tokyo, Kasama, Ibaraki, Japan.
Anim Sci J. 2017 Jul;88(7):927-936. doi: 10.1111/asj.12807. Epub 2017 May 15.
The year 2017 marks the 30th year since the discovery was made of amino acid and complementary DNA sequences of ovine trophoblast protein-1 (oTP-1), later renamed as interferon-tau (IFNτ). Ovine TP-1 was originally found as a secretory product of sheep conceptuses that rescues maternal corpus luteum (CL) and in fact, the uterine infusion of oTP-1 extended inter-estrous intervals. Finding this signaling molecule as an IFN-like sequence was surprising to the scientific community in reproduction because a homologous molecule in humans possesses anti-viral and anti-prolific activity and is often used in human medicines. However, since its discovery was made, large efforts have been made in the elucidation of transcriptional regulation and functions of bovine and ovine IFNτs, more importantly, the improvement of pregnancy rates in sheep and cattle, most of which resulted in unsuccessful outcomes. In this review, physiological, cellular and molecular events associated with continued secretion of progesterone, maternal recognition of pregnancy, identification, transcriptional regulation and function of IFNτ, and its future perspectives will be discussed.
2017年是绵羊滋养层蛋白-1（oTP-1，后更名为干扰素τ，即IFNτ）的氨基酸和互补DNA序列被发现30周年。绵羊TP-1最初是作为绵羊孕体的一种分泌产物被发现的，它能挽救母体黄体（CL），事实上，向子宫内注入oTP-1可延长发情间期。发现这种信号分子具有类似干扰素的序列，这让生殖科学界感到惊讶，因为人类的同源分子具有抗病毒和抗生育活性，且常用于人类药物中。然而，自其被发现以来，人们在阐明牛和绵羊IFNτ的转录调控及功能方面付出了巨大努力，更重要的是，在提高绵羊和牛的妊娠率方面也做了大量工作，但大多数结果并不成功。在这篇综述中，将讨论与孕酮持续分泌、母体对妊娠的识别、IFNτ的鉴定、转录调控和功能以及其未来前景相关的生理、细胞和分子事件。
