Context The adipose tissue produces adipokines - hormones essential to many biological functions, including reproduction. Aims We hypothesised that resistin, one of the adipokines, is present in the blood plasma, uterine luminal flushings (ULF) and uterus of pigs during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy, and that resistin influences uterine steroidogenesis. Methods This study aimed to determine the expression of resistin in the porcine endometrium and myometrium during the cycle and pregnancy by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot (WB).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study analysed the influence of montelukast (MON), a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist, and nifedipine, an L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channel blocker, on the contractility of the porcine uterine smooth muscle. Myometrial strips were collected from the sexually immature (n=8), cyclic (12-14 days of the oestrous cycle; n=8) and pregnant (27-28 days of pregnancy; n=8) gilts and stimulated with a) MON or nifedipine at concentrations of 10-8-10-4 M and b) increasing concentrations of nifedipine after previous administration of MON at a concentration of 10-4 M. The changes in the tension, amplitude and frequency of contractions were determined with the Hugo Sachs Elektronik equipment for measuring isometric contractions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReproductive success requires considerable energy investment. Research has shown that some adipokines, i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInteractions between female metabolic status, immune response, and reproductive system functioning are complex and not fully understood. We hypothesized that chemerin, considered a hormonal link between the above-mentioned processes, influences endometrial functions, particularly cytokine secretion and signaling. Using porcine endometrial explants collected during early pregnancy and the estrous cycle, we investigated chemerin effects on the secretion of interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8), leukemia inhibitory factor, tumor necrosis factor α, transforming growth factor α, and protein abundances of their respective receptors.
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