Cañón-Beltrán Karina, Cajas Yulia N, Martínez-López Cristina, Moros-Nicolás Carla, Sòria-Monzó Pilar, Balastegui-Alarcón Miriam, Avilés Manuel, Rizos Dimitrios, García-Vázquez Francisco A, Izquierdo-Rico Mª José
Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
Programa de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Corporación Universitaria del Huila (CORHUILA), Grupo Kyron, Huila, Colombia.
Biol Res. 2025 Aug 20;58(1):58. doi: 10.1186/s40659-025-00635-0.
Recent studies have indicated the potential involvement of haptoglobin in a variety of events during mammalian reproduction, with previous research highlighting its efficacy in promoting porcine embryo development. The present study aims to provide a comprehensive investigation of haptoglobin expression and secretion in the bovine uterus, with a view to assessing its impact on bovine in vitro embryo production. A systematic study was conducted on cows in different oestrous stages, early follicular, late follicular, early luteal and late luteal stages. Relative haptoglobin mRNA abundance was quantified by RT-qPCR, and the expression of the protein was analysed by immunohistochemistry. The results were complemented by proteomic analyses of the uterine fluid. In vitro bovine fertilisation and embryo culture were carried out in the presence of haptoglobin.
Haptoglobin mRNA expression in the bovine uterus is most abundant during the late luteal stage of the oestrous cycle. The presence of haptoglobin was demonstrated in the uterine epithelium and the uterine fluid in different stages of the oestrous cycle by immunohistochemistry and proteomic analyses. Furthermore, the addition of haptoglobin to in vitro culture improved the development of bovine embryos when the protein was present on the days corresponding to its passage through the uterus, with a higher blastocyst yield (P < 0.05) being observed in haptoglobin treatments compared with control groups. Haptoglobin appears to influence embryonic development by reducing mitochondrial activity and lipid content. Furthermore, transcripts associated with oxidative stress, lipid metabolism and cell cycle regulation were affected by the presence of haptoglobin.
The presence of haptoglobin protein in the female tract of cows during different stages of the oestrous cycle suggests that it plays a significant role in the reproductive process. The addition of haptoglobin during in vitro embryo production resulted in enhanced blastocyst rates and improved quality.
近期研究表明，触珠蛋白可能参与哺乳动物生殖过程中的多种事件，先前的研究强调了其在促进猪胚胎发育方面的功效。本研究旨在全面调查触珠蛋白在牛子宫中的表达和分泌情况，以评估其对牛体外胚胎生产的影响。对处于不同发情阶段（卵泡早期、卵泡晚期、黄体早期和黄体晚期）的奶牛进行了系统研究。通过逆转录定量聚合酶链反应（RT-qPCR）对触珠蛋白相对mRNA丰度进行定量，并通过免疫组织化学分析该蛋白的表达。子宫液的蛋白质组学分析对结果进行了补充。在有触珠蛋白存在的情况下进行牛体外受精和胚胎培养。
触珠蛋白mRNA在发情周期黄体晚期的牛子宫中表达最为丰富。通过免疫组织化学和蛋白质组学分析，在发情周期不同阶段的子宫上皮和子宫液中证实了触珠蛋白的存在。此外，当在与胚胎通过子宫相对应的天数添加触珠蛋白时，其添加到体外培养体系中可改善牛胚胎的发育，与对照组相比，触珠蛋白处理组观察到更高的囊胚率（P < 0.05）。触珠蛋白似乎通过降低线粒体活性和脂质含量来影响胚胎发育。此外，与氧化应激、脂质代谢和细胞周期调控相关的转录本受触珠蛋白存在的影响。
在奶牛发情周期不同阶段的雌性生殖道中存在触珠蛋白，表明其在生殖过程中发挥重要作用。在体外胚胎生产过程中添加触珠蛋白可提高囊胚率并改善胚胎质量。
