2. Academic Validation
  3. LncRNA STAT3-AS regulates endometrial receptivity via the STAT3 signaling pathway

LncRNA STAT3-AS regulates endometrial receptivity via the STAT3 signaling pathway

  • Theriogenology. 2023 Dec 29:216:118-126. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.12.032.
Yanni Jia 1,  Wei Wang 2,  Jiaqi Jiang 1,  Xinyan Zhang 1,  Haijing Li 1,  Suhua Gong 1,  Zuhui Li 1,  Haokun Liu 1,  Chunmei Shang 1,  Aihua Wang 1,  Yaping Jin 3,  Pengfei Lin 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
  • 2 College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
  • 3 College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4 College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 38171198 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.12.032
Abstract

Endometrial receptivity is critical for the successful establishment of pregnancy in ruminants. Interferon tau (IFNT) plays a key role in promoting embryo attachment by activating the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway, which induces the expression of a series of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). In our previous study, sequencing analysis of goat endometrial epithelial cells (gEECs) treated with 20 ng/mL IFNT revealed a differentially expressed long non-coding RNA located on the STAT3 antisense chain, which we designated STAT3-AS. The aim of this study was to investigate the role and mechanism of STAT3-AS in establishing endometrial receptivity in goats. The results showed that STAT3-AS was expressed in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of gEECs, and its expression increased significantly in the uterus on day 15 of pregnancy. STAT3-AS expression was upregulated in gEECs treated with IFNT alone or in combination with progesterone and estradiol. Knockdown of STAT3-AS using specific short interfering RNA significantly inhibited the expression of classical ISGs such as interferon-stimulated gene 15 and 2',5'-oligodenylate synthetase 2, as well as uterine endometrial receptivity-related genes including homeobox gene A11, Integrin beta 3, and vascular endothelial growth factor. Moreover, gEEC proliferation and the STAT3 pathway were suppressed in the absence of STAT3-AS. However, pretreatment with the STAT3 Activator RO8191 restored the effect of silencing STAT3-AS on endometrial receptivity. Overall, these results suggest that STAT3-AS is an important regulator of endometrial receptivity in goats and that it regulates endometrial receptivity through the STAT3 pathway.

Keywords

Embryo implantation; Goat; Interferon tau; STAT3; STAT3-AS.

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