Regulation of surfactant protein D in the mouse female reproductive tract in vivo

Mol Hum Reprod. 2007 Dec;13(12):863-8. doi: 10.1093/molehr/gam074. Epub 2007 Oct 22.

Abstract

Surfactant protein D (SP-D) plays a role in innate immunity in the lung and is expressed at many other mucosal surfaces throughout the human body. In this study, we show that SP-D mRNA and protein are present in the murine female reproductive tract; i.e. in the vagina, cervix, uterus and oviduct. SP-D protein is primarily localized to epithelial cells lining the genital tract and is also present in secretory material within the lumen of the uterus and cervix. The levels of SP-D mRNA in the uterus vary by a factor of 10 during the estrous cycle with peak levels present at estrus and the lowest levels at diestrus. In contrast, SP-D mRNA levels in the lung do not change during the estrous cycle. Since SP-D is an innate host defense protein present in the mouse reproductive tract, we studied the influence of infection on SP-D levels in vivo. We found that Chlamydia muridarum infection caused an increase in the SP-D protein content of reproductive tract epithelial cells. These data are suggestive that SP-D may play a role in innate immunity in the female reproductive tract in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cervix Uteri / metabolism
  • Cervix Uteri / microbiology
  • Chlamydia Infections / genetics
  • Chlamydia Infections / metabolism
  • Chlamydia Infections / microbiology
  • Chlamydia muridarum / growth & development
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Genitalia, Female / immunology
  • Genitalia, Female / metabolism*
  • Genitalia, Female / microbiology
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Immunoblotting
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Oviducts / metabolism
  • Oviducts / microbiology
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D / genetics*
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Uterus / metabolism
  • Uterus / microbiology
  • Vagina / metabolism
  • Vagina / microbiology

Substances

  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D
  • RNA, Messenger