EXPRESSION OF THE UROKINASE-TYPE PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR RECEPTOR AND ITS LIGAND IN THE BOVINE OVIDUCT

GARCÍA, DC; ROLDÁN-OLARTE, M ; MICELI, DC

Tafi del Valle, Tucumán

Jornada; XXVII Jornadas Científicas de laXXVII Jornadas Científicas de la Asociación de Biología de Tucumán; 2010

Asociación de Biología de Tucumán

The urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) is a serineprotease that converts plasminogen to plasmin, important in extracellular matrix remodeling. The interaction of u-PA with its receptor (u-PAR) takes place in the cell surrounding and activates intracellular signaling pathways. In this work we studied u-PAR and u-PA expression in bovine oviductal epithelial cells during the estrous cycle. Oviducts were obtained from slaughtered cows and classified in different stages of the estrous cycle. Samples from ampulla and isthmus were used to obtain total RNA and were analyzed by RT-PCR. The semiquantitative analysis demonstrated that u-PA and u-PAR co-expressed in the epithelial cells at all stages of the estrous cycle. By indirect immunohistochemical analysis we studied the localization of u-PAR. Positive reaction was observed in the epithelium and muscle. The most intense signal was detected in the apical part of epithelial cells, mainly in the isthmus, during the diestrus. Our results suggest that u-PA present in the oviductal fluid would join u-PAR, and would activate the plasminogen near the epithelium and u-PA/u-PAR would initiate the transduction of intracellular signals that would promote the synthesis and secretion of molecules involved in reproduction events that occur in the oviduct.