THE EBAF/lefty2 GENE IS EXPRESSED IN THE PORCINE

MARTIN E. ARGAÑARAZ; PABLO A. VALDECANTOS; DORA C. MICELI

Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina

Congreso; XL Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones en Bioquímicas y Biología Molecular - SAIB; 2004

Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones en Bioquímicas y Biología Molecular - SAIB

THE EBAF/lefty2 GENE IS EXPRESSED IN THE PORCINE OVIDUCT Argañaraz M, Valdecantos P, Miceli D. Inst. Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas, INSIBIO-CONICET, Fac. De Bioq., Qca y Fcia., UNT. Chacabuco 461, 4000, Tucumán, Argentina. E-mail: martin3ea@yahoo.com.ar We have previously isolated an oviduct-uterus specific EST (Expressed Sequence Tag) (Accession No. AF202268) corresponding to the 3' UTR (Untranslated Region) of the rat homolog of human ebaf (endometrial bleeding associated factor) gene and cloned its cDNA sequence (Accession No. AY758558). Ebaf, a secreted protein member of the Transforming Growth Factor â (TGF-â) superfamily, was described as being expressed specifically in the stromal cells of human uterus, where stimulates the production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) during menstruation. In normal human endometrium, this gene is transiently expressed before and during menstrual bleeding. In this work we show that ebaf is expressed in the porcine oviduct. Total RNA was isolated and a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed using primers designed based on the rat, mouse and human cDNA sequences. A 740 bp cDNA containing exon 1 to exon 4 of the porcine ebaf mRNA was obtained; the cDNA fragment was cloned and sequenced. Ebaf mRNA expression was detected in epithelial oviductal cells from ampulla, isthmus and in stromal tissue. The finding of ebaf mRNA in the rat and porcine oviducts strongly suggests a role of this gene in the oviduct. Moreover, the epithelial expression of ebaf also indicates that the protein is secreted to the lumen and could be important for the developing embryo.