Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan 2308, Australia.
Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights 2305, Australia.
Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Oct 15;25(20):11073. doi: 10.3390/ijms252011073.
Understanding the systemic biochemistry of early pregnancy in the mare is essential for developing new diagnostics and identifying causes for pregnancy loss. This study aimed to elucidate the dynamic lipidomic changes occurring during the initial stages of equine pregnancy, with a specific focus on days 7 and 14 post-ovulation. By analysing and comparing the plasma lipid profiles of pregnant and non-pregnant mares, the objective of this study was to identify potential biomarkers for pregnancy and gain insights into the biochemical adaptations essential for supporting maternal recognition of pregnancy and early embryonic development. Employing discovery lipidomics, we analysed plasma samples from pregnant and non-pregnant mares on days 7 and 14 post-conception using the SCIEX ZenoTOF 7600 system. This high-resolution mass spectrometry approach enabled us to comprehensively profile and compare the lipidomes across these critical early gestational timepoints. Our analysis revealed significant lipidomic alterations between pregnant and non-pregnant mares and between days 7 and 14 of pregnancy. Key findings include the upregulation of bile acids, sphingomyelins, phosphatidylinositols, and triglycerides in pregnant mares. These changes suggest enhanced lipid synthesis and mobilization, likely associated with the embryo's nutritional requirements and the establishment of embryo-maternal interactions. There were significant differences in lipid metabolism between pregnant and non-pregnant mares, with a notable increase in the sterol lipid BA 24:1;O5 in pregnant mares as early as day 7 of gestation, suggesting it as a sensitive biomarker for early pregnancy detection. Notably, the transition from day 7 to day 14 in pregnant mares is characterized by a shift towards lipids indicative of membrane biosynthesis, signalling activity, and preparation for implantation. The study demonstrates the profound lipidomic shifts that occur in early equine pregnancy, highlighting the critical role of lipid metabolism in supporting embryonic development. These findings provide valuable insights into the metabolic adaptations during these period and potential biomarkers for early pregnancy detection in mares.
了解母马早期妊娠的系统生物化学对于开发新的诊断方法和确定妊娠丢失的原因至关重要。本研究旨在阐明马妊娠早期发生的动态脂质组学变化，特别关注排卵后第 7 天和第 14 天。通过分析和比较妊娠和非妊娠母马的血浆脂质谱，本研究旨在确定妊娠的潜在生物标志物，并深入了解支持母体识别妊娠和早期胚胎发育所必需的生化适应。本研究采用发现脂质组学方法，使用 SCIEX ZenoTOF 7600 系统分析了妊娠和非妊娠母马在受精后第 7 天和第 14 天的血浆样本。这种高分辨率质谱方法使我们能够全面分析和比较这些关键早期妊娠时间点的脂质组。我们的分析揭示了妊娠和非妊娠母马之间以及妊娠第 7 天和第 14 天之间的脂质组学显著改变。主要发现包括妊娠母马中胆汁酸、神经鞘磷脂、磷脂酰肌醇和甘油三酯的上调。这些变化表明增强了脂质合成和动员，可能与胚胎的营养需求和胚胎-母体相互作用的建立有关。妊娠和非妊娠母马之间的脂质代谢存在显著差异，妊娠母马中的固醇脂质 BA 24:1;O5 在妊娠第 7 天就显著增加，表明其作为早期妊娠检测的敏感生物标志物。值得注意的是，妊娠母马从第 7 天到第 14 天的转变特征是向指示膜生物合成、信号活性和植入准备的脂质转移。该研究表明，在早期马妊娠中发生了深刻的脂质组学变化，强调了脂质代谢在支持胚胎发育中的关键作用。这些发现为母马妊娠早期检测提供了有价值的见解，并为这些时期的代谢适应提供了潜在的生物标志物。
