Abstract

Prostaglandins (PG) are involved in several female reproductive processes, and their action is regulated at the levels of biosynthesis, catabolism, and signal transduction. Facilitated transport across cell membranes emerges as an additional checkpoint regulating PG action. We have already reported on the influx transporter solute carrier organic anion transporting polypeptide (SLCO2A1) [PG transporter (PGT)] in relation to PG action in the bovine endometrium. In the present study, we report on the functional expression and regulation of multidrug resistance-associated protein 4 (MRP4)/ATP-binding cassette carrier 4, an alternate PG transporter belonging to the ATP-binding cassette carrier (ABC) family. We have found that MRP4 protein was present throughout the estrous cycle and exhibited a pattern of expression similar to that of PGT with maximal expression during early-mid luteal phase in the bovine endometrium. Functional expression and regulation of MRP4 was studied in vitro using the newly developed bovine endometrial epithelial bEEL and stromal CSC cell lines. Oxytocin (OT) stimulated PGF2α production and MRP4 mRNA and protein in a time- and dose-dependent manner but had no effect on PGT. OT induced preferred accumulation of PG outside the cells and secretion toward the basolateral side of polarized bEEL cells grown on membrane inserts. MK-571 and indomethacin, two documented inhibitors of MRP4 activity, blocked preferred accumulation of PG, but interferon- and NS-398 had no effect on MRP4 expression or the direction of PG transport. Our results suggest that MRP4 is a functional PG carrier under the regulation of OT in the bovine endometrium.

Keywords

Products or Services information in the article

...positions 627-640 of the C-terminal bPGT (gene ID 282468 SLCO2A1, NP 777254.1). The bPGT antibody was produced by GenScript and tested in our laboratory. To detect bovine MRP4 protein (gene ID 515333 ABCC4), we used a mouse...