The IGF system is expressed in the uterus during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy and is likely to play an important role in regulating the development of the embryo and uterus. The IGF peptides (IGF-I and -II) mediate their effects through the type 1 IGF receptor (IGF-1R), while the IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP-1 to -6) modulate their interaction with the receptor. In this study, the expression of the IGF system in the bovine uterus was determined throughout the oestrous cycle and on day 16 of pregnancy. Endometrial biopsy samples were collected from four cows over three cycles such that there were samples for every 2 days from day 0 (oestrus) to day 14 and then every day until day 21. To assess the effect of pregnancy, uterine horn cross-sections were collected on day 16 from 15 pregnant (PREG), five inseminated non-pregnant (INP) and nine uninseminated cyclic controls (CONT). The expression of mRNA for the IGFs, IGF-1R and IGFBP-1 to -5 was determined by in situ hybridisation and the results were quantified by measuring the optical density units from autoradiographs. The main region of IGF-I mRNA expression was the sub-epithelial stroma underlying the luminal epithelium. The expression of IGF-I mRNA was highest at oestrus and lowest during the early and late luteal phases. On day 16, IGF-I mRNA levels were low in all groups, with pregnancy having no effect on the IGF-I mRNA concentrations. The strongest expression of IGF-II mRNA was in the caruncular stroma, with pregnancy having no significant effect in this region. IGF-1R mRNA was also present in the caruncles and was strongly expressed in all epithelial cells both throughout the oestrous cycle and during early pregnancy. The expression of IGFBP-1 mRNA was confined to the luminal epithelium, with the strongest expression seen on day 14 of the cycle. On day 16 the expression of IGFBP-1 mRNA was higher in the PREG group compared with the CONT group. The expression of IGFBP-2 mRNA was localised to the sub-epithelial stroma with more INP than PREG cows showing detectable levels of IGFBP-2. The strongest expression of IGFBP-3 mRNA was in the caruncular stroma; expression in the endometrial stroma was similarly decreased during early pregnancy. IGFBP-5 mRNA was mainly expressed in the inner ring of myometrium and was not affected by pregnancy on day 16. In conclusion, these results show that many components of the uterine IGF system are differentially regulated during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy and suggest that modulation of the IGF system may influence uterine activity during this period.

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