Inducible overexpression of porcine homeobox AIO in the endometrium of transgenic mice

• Published in: 农业科学学报：英文版 2016 (6), p.1338-1344
• Main Author: LIN Rui-yi WU Di ZHAO Chang-zhi CHEN Shang-shang XIAO Qian LI Xin-yun ZHAO Shu-hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AIO; 同源; 子宫内膜; 激素治疗; 猪产仔数; 诱导型启动子; 诱导表达; 转基因小鼠模型
• ISSN: 2095-3119; 2352-3425

Homeobox A10 （HOXA 10） is a well-known transcription factor that plays an important role in directing endometrial differ- entiation and establishing the conditions required for implantation. Interestingly, the expression level of HOXAIO may be associated with litter size. To study the effects of the porcine HOXAIO promoter fragment on the expression of HOXAIO gene in vivo, we generated a transgenic mouse model using pronuclear microinjection, and measured the expression of HOXAIO in the endometrium. There was no difference in the expression level of HOXAIO between transgenic and wild- type mice in the absence of hormone stimulation. However, following treatment with progesterone and estradiol benzoate, the expression level of HOXAIO was significantly increased in transgenic mice compared with that of wild-type mice. Fur- thermore, the litter size of transgenic females was larger than that of wild-type females （7.02±1.73 vs. 6.48＋1.85; P=0.14）. Moreover, the difference of litter size was greater in the later parities （7.33±1.62 vs. 6.37±2.02; P=0.08） compared with the first parity （6.76±1.81 vs. 6.61v1.67; P=0.77） between transgenic and wild-type mice. Therefore, our transgenic mouse model provides exciting insights regarding the actions of HOXAIO and its hormone-inducible promoter in vivo. The present study offers valuable proof of principle to develop transgenic pigs with a hormone-inducible promoter regulating HOXAIO to alter litter size.