Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2022, Vol. 53 ›› Issue (9): 2993-3005.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2022.09.016

• ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND REPRODUCTION • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Dihydrotestosterone Affects Sheep Uterine Function through Regulating Progesterone, Oestrogen and Apoptosis

DING Ziqiang1, GE Wenbo2, DUAN Hongwei1, Lü Jianshu1, ZENG Jianlin1, WANG Wenjuan1, NIU Tian1, ZHANG Yong1, ZHAO Xingxu1, HU Junjie1*   

  1. 1. Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China;
    2. Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of CAAS, Lanzhou 730050, China
  • Received:2022-02-23 Online:2022-09-23 Published:2022-09-23

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Abstract: The study aimed to investigate whether dihydrotestosterone (DHT) regulates sheep uterine function through progesterone (P4), oestrogen (E2) and apoptosis, and to reveal its potential role in sheep reproductive physiology. In this experiment, female Small Tailed Han sheep about 1.5 years old were used as experimental animals to detect the expression changes of DHT synthase and androgen receptor (AR) in the uterus during follicular phase, luteal phase and pregnant phase. Subsequently, sheep uterus endometrial epithelial cells were cultured in vitro and treated with DHT (10-10-10-7mol·L-1) and AR antagonist flutamide (Flu, 10-8mol·L-1, n=3). P4 and E2 levels, synthase and receptors expression were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cellular immunofluorescence, Western blot and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. In addition, after treatment with DHT and Flu, the expression of apoptosis factor B cell lymphoma protein 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), caspase 3 (CASP3) and active-caspase 3 (Act CASP3) in sheep endometrial epithelial cells were detected. The results showed that there were differences in DHT synthesis and AR expression in sheep uterus at different stages. The DHT synthesis and AR expression in uterus at pregnant phase were significantly lower than those at follicular and luteal stages (P<0.05). After 10-10-10-7 mol·L-1 DHT treatment, the level of P4 significantly up-regulated (P<0.05), P4 synthesis significantly increased at 10-8-10-7 mol·L-1DHT (P<0.05), the expression of progesterone receptor protein significantly increased at 10-10-10-8 mol·L-1DHT (P<0.05), but the expression of progesterone receptor protein significantly decreased at 10-7mol·L-1 DHT (P<0.05). The expression of E2 synthase and the level of E2 significantly decreased at 10-8-10-7 mol·L-1 DHT (P<0.05), E2 receptor ERα protein was significantly down-regulated at 10-9 and 10-7 mol·L-1 DHT (P<0.05). ERβ and GPER significantly increased at 10-10-10-7 mol·L-1 DHT (P<0.05). The regulation of P4 and E2 by DHT was partially relieved after Flu treatment. In addition, 10-10-10-7 mol·L-1 DHT significantly promoted apoptosis of endometrial epithelial cells (P<0.05). This study confirmed that DHT at least partially regulates P4 and E2 synthesis and receptors expression through AR, affects cell apoptosis to participates in the regulation of uterine function, which provides a new basis and relevant data for further elucidating the role of androgens in the regulation of uterine function.

Key words: dihydrotestosterone, progesterone, oestrogen, apoptosis, uterine function

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