Changes in mucins and matrix metalloproteases in the endometrium of early pregnant alpacas ( Vicugna pacos )

BARRAZA, DANIELA E.; ZAMPINI, RENATO; APICHELA, SILVANA A.; PACHECO, JOEL I.; ARGAÑARAZ, MARTIN E.

ACTA HISTOCHEMICA

ELSEVIER GMBH, URBAN & FISCHER VERLAG

Año: 2018 vol. 120 p. 438 - 445

0065-1281

South American Camelids (SAC) have unique reproductive features, one of which is that 98% of the pregnanciesdevelop in the left uterine horn. Furthermore, early pregnancy is an uncharacterized process in these species,especially in regard to the ultrastructural, biochemical and genetic changes that the uterine epithelial surfaceundergoes to allow embryo implantation. The present study describes the uterine horn luminal surface and thecharacteristics of the mucinous glycocalyx in non-pregnant and early pregnant (15 days) female alpacas. Inaddition, the relative abundance of Mucin 1 and 16 genes (MUC1 and MUC16) was determined, as well as therelative mRNA abundance of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that could be involved in MUC shedding duringearly pregnancy. Noticeable changes were detected in the uterine luminal epithelium and glycocalyx of pregnantalpacas in comparison to non-pregnant ones, as well as presence of MUCs and MMPs in the endometrial environment.The decrease in glycocalyx staining and in the relative abundance of MUC 1 and MUC 16 transcriptsin pregnant females would allow embryo attachment to the luminal epithelium and its subsequent implantation,as has been described in other mammals. These results suggest a crucial role of MUC1 and MUC16 and a possiblerole of MMPs in successful embryo implantation and survival in alpacas.