Unique epithelial expression of S100A calcium binding protein A7A in the endometrium at conceptus implantation in pigs

OBJECTIVE: S100A7A, a member of the S100 protein family, is involved in various biological processes, including innate immunity, antimicrobial function, and epithelial tumorigenesis. However, the expression and function of S100A7A in the endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy are not well understood in pigs. Therefore, this study determined the expression and regulation of S100A7A at the maternal-conceptus interface in pigs. METHODS: We obtained endometrial tissues from pigs throughout the estrous cycle and pregnancy, conceptus tissues during early pregnancy, and chorioallantoic tissues during mid- to late pregnancy and analyzed the expression of S100A7A in these tissues. We also determined the effects of steroid hormones, estradiol-17β (E(2)) and progesterone, and interleukin-1β (IL1B) on S100A7A expression in endometrial tissues. RESULTS: We found that S100A7A was expressed in the endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in a pregnancy status- and stage-dependent manner and was localized to endometrial luminal epithelial (LE) and superficial glandular epithelial cells with strong intensity in LE cells on day 12 of pregnancy. Early stage conceptuses and chorioallantoic tissues from day 30 to term pregnancy also expressed S100A7A. The expression of S100A7A was increased by E(2) and IL1B in endometrial tissues. CONCLUSION: S100A7A was expressed at the maternal-conceptus interface at the initiation of implantation in response to conceptus-derived estrogen and IL1B and could be a unique endometrial epithelial marker for conceptus implantation in pigs. These findings provide an important insight into the understanding of conceptus-endometrial interactions for the successful establishment of pregnancy in pigs.