Transcriptome profiling of bovine endometrial epithelial cells induced by lipopolysaccharides in vitro

Abstract

Endometritis is an inflammation of the surface of the endometrium that does not penetrate the submucosa and can cause infertility and increase the elimination rate in cows. Endometrial epithelial cells are the first barrier of the endometrium against foreign stimuli and bacterial infection. Understanding the genetic changes in stimulated endometrial epithelial cells will help in the efforts to prevent and treat endometritis. This study investigated changes in bovine endometrial epithelial (BEEC) gene expression induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation and compared transcriptome-wide gene changes between LPS- and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)- treated BEECs by RNA sequencing. Compared with the PBS group, the LPS group showed 60 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (36 upregulated, 24 downregulated). Gene Ontology enrichment analysis revealed that most enrichment occurred during CXCR chemokine receptor binding, inflammatory response, and neutrophil migration. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed DEGs mainly concentrated in cytokine–cytokine receptor interactions; IL-17, tumor necrosis factor, NOD-like receptor, chemokine, Toll-like receptor, and nuclear factor-κB signaling pathways; and the cytoplasmic DNA sensing pathway. Moreover, results revealed that cytokines SAA3 and HP increased significantly after LPS treatment. These effects of LPS on BEECs transcriptome and the molecular mechanism of endometritis provide a basis for improved clinical treatment and novel drug development.

Keywords:

• Endometritis
• lipopolysaccharide
• mRNAs
• high-throughput sequencing

Author contributions

GZ, PS and CT designed the study and revised manuscript. GZ, PS, XZ, CT and JY performed the study. GZ, XZ, CT and PS analyzed the data. GZ, CT wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The raw sequence data obtained in this study were deposited in the NCBI Sequence Read Archive (SRA) under the accession number PRJNA836697 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA836697). The datasets supporting the conclusions of this article are included in this article and its supplementary information files.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Project of Tackling Key Problems in Science and Technology of Henan Province [212102110352, 212102110095], Project of the central government guiding local scientific and technological development [XZ202201YD0007C], Shigatse science and technology plan project [RKZ2021KJ12], the Open Project Program of Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine at Beijing University of Agriculture[TCVM-201702],the Project of the National Beef Cattle and Yak Industrial Technology System [CARS-37]. Thanks to Prof. Xinzhuang Wang for providing bovine endometrial epithelial cells.