Oviduct epithelium induces interferon-tau in bovine Day-4 embryos, which generates an anti-inflammatory response in immune cells

Sci Rep. 2018 May 18;8(1):7850. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-26224-8.

Abstract

Recent studies indicate that communication between the bovine embryo and the mother begins in the oviduct. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of embryos on bovine oviducts for their immune responses using an in vitro model. First, zygotes were cultured with or without bovine oviduct epithelial cells (BOECs) for 4 days, when embryos had reached the 16-cell stage. At that time, we detected interferon-tau (IFNT) in embryos co-cultured with BOECs, but not in embryos cultured alone. Next, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were incubated either in media from embryo alone cultures or from co-cultures of embryos with BOECs. The medium from embryo alone cultures did not modulate PBMCs gene expression; whereas the embryo-BOEC co-culture medium increased interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs: ISG15, OAS1, MX2), STAT1, PTGES and TGFB1 but suppressed IL17 expression in PBMCs. Both IFNT-treated BOEC culture medium and IFNT-supplemented fresh medium alone without BOEC, modulated PBMCs gene expressions similar to those by the embryo-BOEC co-culture medium. Further, specific antibody to IFNT neutralized the effect of embryo-BOEC co-culture medium on PBMCs gene expression. Our results indicate that BOECs stimulate embryos to produce IFNT, which then acts on immune cells to promote an anti-inflammatory response in the oviduct.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibodies / immunology
  • Antibodies / metabolism
  • Cattle
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Culture Media, Conditioned / pharmacology
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dinoprostone / metabolism
  • Embryo, Mammalian / metabolism*
  • Epithelial Cells / cytology
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Interferon Type I / chemistry
  • Interferon Type I / immunology
  • Interferon Type I / metabolism*
  • Interferon Type I / pharmacology
  • Interleukin-17 / genetics
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / cytology
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / drug effects
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
  • Oviducts / cytology
  • Pregnancy Proteins / chemistry
  • Pregnancy Proteins / immunology
  • Pregnancy Proteins / metabolism*
  • Pregnancy Proteins / pharmacology
  • Prostaglandin-E Synthases / genetics
  • Prostaglandin-E Synthases / metabolism
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor / genetics
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Zygote / cytology
  • Zygote / metabolism

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Culture Media, Conditioned
  • Cytokines
  • Interferon Type I
  • Interleukin-17
  • Pregnancy Proteins
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor
  • interferon tau
  • Prostaglandin-E Synthases
  • Dinoprostone