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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Livestock Bio-Systems » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #110286
Title: CLUSTERIN MRNA EXPRESSION IN PORCINE CONCEPTUSES

Author
item Klemcke, Harold
item Vallet, Jeff
item Christenson, Ronald

Submitted to: Biology of Reproduction Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/15/2000
Publication Date: 12/20/2000
Citation: Klemcke, H.G., Vallet, J.L., Christenson, R.K. 2000. Clusterin mRNA expression in porcine conceptuses [abstract]. Biology of Reproduction. 62(Supplement 1):309-310. (Abstract No. 515)

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Clusterin is a heterodimeric glycoprotein found in multiple tissues and has been associated with numerous cellular processes including apoptosis, cell-cell interactions, differentiation, and response to injury. During porcine fetal development, increased mortality occurs in a crowded uterine environment between d 30 and 40 of gestation. In the current study, clusterin mRNA was evaluated in fetal liver and placental tissues to determine if its expression is related to development in different uterine environments and breeds at d 35 of gestation. Conceptuses were obtained from pregnant white crossbred (WC) intact (INT; n=14), WC unilaterally hysterectomized-ovariectomized (UHO; n=9), and Meishan (ME; n=13) gilts. For each gilt, Northern hybridization analyses were conducted and relative concentrations of clusterin mRNA are reported as arbitrary units after analysis of covariance using beta-actin as a covariate. Clusterin mRNA was present in liver (ME, 106 +/- 20; INT, 140 +/- 18; UHO, 105 +/- 23) and placentae (ME, 70 +/- 28; INT, 75 +/- 28; UHO, 26 +/- 32) and did not differ among treatments (P=.21). When evaluated individually by analysis of covariance, clusterin mRNA expression in each tissue was not related to fetal or placental size (P>.07). However, the sum of placental and liver clusterin mRNA expression was negatively associated with fetal weight (b=-2.3/gram; P=.05), and liver weight (b=-24.5/gram; P=.03). These are the first measures of clusterin mRNA in porcine conceptuses, and its presence suggests clusterin's involvement in fetal and placental development at this stage. The negative relationships with fetal and liver weight are intriguing and may reflect one or more of clusterin's known associations with cellular activities.