Chemerin belongs to the group of adipocyte-derived hormones known as adipokines, which are responsible mainly for the control of energy homeostasis. Adipokine exerts its influence through three receptors: Chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1), G protein-coupled receptor 1 (GPR1), and C-C motif chemokine receptor-like 2 (CCRL2). A growing body of evidence indicates that chemerin participates in the regulation of the female reproductive system. According to the literature, the expression of chemerin and its receptors in reproductive structures depends on the local hormonal milieu. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro effect of prostaglandins E2 (PGE2) and F2α (PGF2α) on chemerin and chemerin receptor (chemerin system) mRNAs (qPCR) and proteins (ELISA, Western blotting) in endometrial tissue explants collected from early-pregnant gilts. Both PGE2 and PGF2α significantly influenced the expression of the chemerin gene, hormone secretion, and the expression of chemerin receptor genes and proteins. The influence of both prostaglandins on the expression of the chemerin system varied between different stages of gestation. This is the first study to describe the modulatory effect of PGE2 and PGF2α on the expression of the chemerin system in the porcine uterus during early gestation.
Keywords: PGE2; PGF2α; chemerin; chemerin receptors; early pregnancy; porcine uterus.