Regulation of surfactant protein D in the mouse female reproductive tract in vivo

Rebecca E. Oberley, Kelli L. Goss, Darren S. Hoffmann, Kevin A. Ault, Traci L. Neff, Kyle H. Ramsey, Jeanne M. Snyder

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

Surfactant protein D (SP-D) plays a role in innate immunity in the lung and is expressed at many other mucosal surfaces throughout the human body. In this study, we show that SP-D mRNA and protein are present in the murine female reproductive tract; i.e. in the vagina, cervix, uterus and oviduct. SP-D protein is primarily localized to epithelial cells lining the genital tract and is also present in secretory material within the lumen of the uterus and cervix. The levels of SP-D mRNA in the uterus vary by a factor of 10 during the estrous cycle with peak levels present at estrus and the lowest levels at diestrus. In contrast, SP-D mRNA levels in the lung do not change during the estrous cycle. Since SP-D is an innate host defense protein present in the mouse reproductive tract, we studied the influence of infection on SP-D levels in vivo. We found that Chlamydia muridarum infection caused an increase in the SP-D protein content of reproductive tract epithelial cells. These data are suggestive that SP-D may play a role in innate immunity in the female reproductive tract in vivo.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)863-868
Number of pages6
JournalMolecular Human Reproduction
Volume13
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Female reproductive tract
  • Infection
  • Mouse
  • Regulation
  • SP-D

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Embryology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Biology

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