Biol Reprod Keystone Symposia Conference on Frontiers in Reproductive Biology & Regulation of Fertility.
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BOR - Papers in Press, published online ahead of print August 3, 2005.
Biol Reprod 2005, 10.1095/biolreprod.105.043406
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BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION 73, 1087–1093 (2005)
DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.105.043406
© 2005 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Research Article

A Comparison of the Anti-Luteolytic Activities of Recombinant Ovine Interferon-Alpha and -Tau in Sheep1

M.P. Green 3 4, L.D. Spate 4, J.A. Bixby 4, A.D. Ealy 5, and R.M. Roberts 2 4

Department of Animal Sciences,4 University of Missouri, Columbia Missouri 65211 Department of Animal Sciences,5 University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611

ABSTRACT

Interferon tau (IFNT) is secreted by the trophectoderm of ruminant conceptuses during the peri-implantation period and serves an anti-luteolytic function. The question as to whether IFNT is superior as an anti-luteolytic agent to closely related Type I IFNs, such as IFN alpha (IFNA), which have a different function, remains unanswered. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine whether equivalent antiviral (AV) units of ovIFNA and ovIFNT are equipotent in extending estrous cycle length. Four distinct ovIFNA mRNA (ovIFNA1–4) were cloned from ovine lymphocytes. Recombinant ovine IFNs (ovIFNT4 and ovIFNA1) were prepared in the yeast Pichia pastoris. The AV activity of the purified IFNs was determined on a bovine cell line (MDBK) and on transformed ovine luminal uterine epithelial cells. Indwelling uterine catheters were fitted into crossbred ewes on Day 3 postestrus (Day 0 = estrus). Between Days 10 and 18 postestrus, ewes received twice-daily infusions of 0.7 x 107 IU of either ovIFNA1 or T4, plus serum albumin. Control ewes received serum albumin only. Daily blood samples were collected for progesterone determination, and ewes were monitored twice daily for estrus. Both ovIFNA (P = 0.04) and ovIFNT (P = 0.01) caused estrous cycle extension in nonpregnant ewes compared to controls when administered at equivalent AV doses. In conclusion, the uniqueness of IFNT as an anti-luteolytic agent most likely resides in its unique expression pattern rather than its special biopotency.

conceptus, corpus luteum, endometrium, estrous cycle, pregnancy, progesterone, trophoblast

FOOTNOTES

1 Supported by a grant from NIH grant HD21896 (to R.M.R.) and the Molecular Biology Program, Life Sciences, University of Missouri (salary support for M.P.G.).

2 Correspondence: R.M. Roberts, 105F Life Sciences Center, 1201 East Rollins Rd., Columbia, MO 65211-7310. FAX: 573 884 9395; robertsrm{at}missouri.edu

3 Current address: The Liggins Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.






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Copyright © 2005 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction.