Authors : Hui Peng, Yifen Zhuang, Xu Wu, Hongxiang Li, Zhiyong Hong, Xingfeng Zhang, Xuejiao Lin and Wenchang Zhang
Abstract: The Nlrp gene family plays an essential role in the innate immune and reproductive systems in the mouse. Initially, studies on the function of this family were mainly in apoptotic and inflammatory signaling pathways. However, a rapidly growing number of recent researches showed that some Nlrp genes play key roles in reproductive systems. In this study, researchers investigated the expression patterns of Nlrp4a-Nlrp4f during mouse development. The results showed that these genes have the similar expression patterns during preimplantation development. They were enriched in the GV stage and MII oocytes and degraded after fertilization but Nlrp4c and Nlrp4e transcripts were detected again at the morula and blastocyst stages. The tissue distribution of Nlrp4a-Nlrp4f indicated that Nlrp4b and Nlrp4c were only detected in the ovary; Nlrp4a, Nlrp4d and Nlrp4f were also transcribed in the ovary as well as in the testis while Nlrp4e was expressed in various mouse tissues. Furthermore, expression of Nlrp4b-Nlrp4e was downregulated in the ovary with mouse aging. In addition, the expression profiles of Nlrp4a-Nlrp4f in different cells demonstrated that Nlrp4a, Nlrp4b, Nlrp4c, Nlrp4e and Nlrp4f were not detected in other cell lines except for oocytes while Nlrp4d transcripts were detected in oocytes as well as in cumulus cells and spermatozoa. The results indicated that Nlrp4a-Nlrp4f displays specific or preferential oocyte expression patterns, implying important roles of these genes in oogenesis and preimplantation development in the mouse.
Hui Peng, Yifen Zhuang, Xu Wu, Hongxiang Li, Zhiyong Hong, Xingfeng Zhang, Xuejiao Lin and Wenchang Zhang, 2013. Expression Analysis of Nlrp4a-Nlrp4f During Mouse Development. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 12: 754-759.