Analysis of Porcupine ablation within the uterine epithelium on gene expression within the uterus

ABSTRACT: The secretion of mammalian Wnt Ligands within the cell is dependent on the activity of Porcupine, a gene located on the X chromosome that encodes for a membrane bound o-acyl transferase. Porcupine-dependent Wnt signalling was previously shown to be essential for the post-natal maintenance of endometrial glands, structures that are essential for implantation and fertility. Previous data has implicated the multiple members of the Wnt family expressed in the female uterus to be involved in a coordinated crosstalk between the luminal and stromal compartments of the uterus, ensuring the proper development of the uterus and successful fertility. We have generated a conditional mutant of Porcupine in the luminal epithelium (cKOepi) of the uterus, thus eliminating Wnt7a/b and Wnt11, to address the nature of this crosstalk. Unlike global luminal-stromal mutants, post-natal ablation of Porcupine in the luminal epithelium alone does not affect the maintenance of the endometrial glands in adults. Uterine glands are still visible in the adult cKOepi, albeit in a smaller number than that of control uteri. Despite having uterine glands, cKOepi females remain completely infertile. We have attributed the sterility of these females to be in part due to defects in implantation and decidualization; cKOepi fail to respond to decidual induction by artificial means. Interestingly, progesterone supplementation rescues the observed implantation defects, although observed decidual soon seem to become resorptive. Microarray analysis of cKOepi during implantation has reveals several potential targets for luminal WNT that may be responsible for the observed phenotype including: Lef1, Hoxa10, Wnt4, Wnt16 Notch1, Notch4 and Dll4 .

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE96801 | GEO | 2017/03/21

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA379768

REPOSITORIES: GEO