The avian oviduct is characterized by dynamic hormonal, biochemical, and cellular changes during its development. To better understand the molecular mechanisms regulating proper development of this organ in birds, the rate of cell proliferation and apoptosis as well as these processes-related gene expressions in the chicken oviduct during the sexual maturation were examined. The oviducts were isolated from Hy-Line Brown chickens at 2-week intervals from 10 to 16 weeks of age, and at 17 weeks, i.e. just after the onset of egg laying. In the tissue from the middle part of the oviduct (the magnum) the following parameters were tested: (1) proliferating (proliferating cell nuclear antigen [PCNA]-positive) and apoptotic (Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive) cells, (2) mRNA expression of bcl-2, caspases 2, 3, 8, and 9, PCNA, survivin-142, and ovalbumin by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, (3) protein expression of Bcl-2, PCNA, and caspases 3 and 9 by Western blot, (4) activity of caspases 2, 3, 8, and 9 by fluorometric method, and (5) localization of Bcl-2 and caspases by immunohistochemistry. It was found that the number of proliferating cells per unit area did not change during the examined period. The number of apoptotic cells in the oviductal wall remained on the same level until 14 weeks of age followed by a gradual decrease, reaching the lowest number at 17 weeks. The mRNA expression of all caspases and Bcl-2 gradually decreased during maturation, and PCNA decreased after 14 weeks of age. Survivin-142 mRNA level increased in 14-week-old chickens and then diminished, whereas ovalbumin expression was dramatically elevated in birds 16 weeks old and older. Patterns of protein expression of Bcl-2, PCNA, and caspases and activity of caspases were similar to mRNA, although not as pronounced. In the wall of the magnum the apoptotic cells and examined proteins were localized predominantly in the mucosa (surface epithelium and tubular glands). In summary, the results obtained provide some evidence of changes in selected proliferation- and apoptosis-related gene expression, alterations in activity of multiple apoptotic markers, and differences in the frequency of proliferating and apoptotic markers between mucosa and stroma in the oviductal magnum during the sexual maturation. Concluding, we suggest that Bcl-2, PCNA, survivin-142, and some caspases may cooperatively orchestrate a cascade of events mainly related to the cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation in the chicken oviduct over the course of its development.
Keywords: Apoptosis; Chicken; Oviduct development; Proliferation; Sexual maturation.
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