Expression of cadherins and some connective tissue components in cow uterus and placenta during pregnancy

Abstract

The implantation and placental development processes are regulated with cell adhesion molecules and remod-eling of the maternal endometrium's extracellular matrices (ECM) and fetal chorion. This study aimed to investigate the distribution and localization of some classical cadherins (E-, N-, and P-cadherins) and extracel-lular matrix components collagen type 5 alpha 1, fibronectin, and laminin in the cow placentomes during pregnancy using immunohistochemical and Western blotting analyses. The study results confirmed the expression of E- and P-cadherins, collagen type V alpha 1 (COLV alpha 1), fibronectin, and laminin in the cow placentomes, but not N-cadherin. Throughout the pregnancy, E-and P-cadherins, COLV alpha 1, and laminin were localized in the luminal and glan-dular epithelium of the inter-caruncular endometrium, caruncular epithelium, and the uninucleate (UNCs) and binucleate trophoblast giant cells (BNCs/TGCs). E- cadherin immunoreactivity in the first pregnancy period was strong in the UNCs while moderate in the BNCs/TGCs. However, it was weak in both trophoblast in the second and third pregnancy periods. In the fetal trophoblasts, P-cadherin and laminin immunostainings were more intense in the BNCs/TGCs than UNCs. The fetal and maternal stromal cells were also positive for P-cadherin, COLV alpha 1, fibronectin, and laminin. The immunostaining intensity of COLV alpha 1 and fibronectin in the stromal extracellular matrix of the placentomes decreased as the pregnancy progressed. The endothelia of fetal and maternal vessels were positive for all proteins. The presence and distinct localization of cadherins and ECM proteins in the cow placentome components support the role of these molecules in regulating placental cell growth, migration, and matrix production during pregnancy.