Placenta
Volume 31, Issue 4 , Pages 327-333, April 2010

Orphan Receptor Kinase ROR2 is Expressed in the Mouse Uterus

  • K. Hatta

      Affiliations

    • Department of Microbiology and Immunology, 18 Stuart Street, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
    • ,
  • Z. Chen

      Affiliations

    • Anatomy and Cell Biology, 18 Stuart Street, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
    • ,
  • A.L. Carter

      Affiliations

    • Anatomy and Cell Biology, 18 Stuart Street, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
    • ,
  • E. Leno-Durán

      Affiliations

    • Anatomy and Cell Biology, 18 Stuart Street, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
    • Unidad de Inmunología, IBIMER, Universidad de Granada, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
    • ,
  • J. Zhang

      Affiliations

    • Anatomy and Cell Biology, 18 Stuart Street, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
    • ,
  • C. Ruiz-Ruiz

      Affiliations

    • Unidad de Inmunología, IBIMER, Universidad de Granada, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
    • ,
  • E.G. Olivares

      Affiliations

    • Departamento de Bioquimica, Biologia Molecular e Inmunologia, Universidad de Granada, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
    • ,
  • R.J. MacLeod

      Affiliations

    • Department of Physiology, 18 Stuart Street, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada
    • Gastrointestinal Disease Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
    • ,
  • B.A. Croy

      Affiliations

    • Anatomy and Cell Biology, 18 Stuart Street, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Room 924, Botterell Hall, 18 Stuart Street, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada. Tel.: +1 613 533 2859; fax: +1 613 533 2566.

Accepted 20 January 2010. published online 11 February 2010.

Abstract 

Objective

Wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site family, member 5A (WNT5A), is expressed in mouse decidua and is thought to play an important role in decidualization. We examined expression of the receptor for WNT5A, receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2 (ROR2), in the uteri of cycling and pregnant mice.

Study design

Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and immunohistochemistry were performed.

Results

RT-PCR revealed that transcripts for Ror2, Wnt3a, Wnt5a and inhibitor of WNT signaling, Dickkopf homolog 1 (Dkk1), were present in the pregnant uterus. Immunohistochemistry revealed that in the virgin uterus, ROR2 is expressed in stromal cells and on the basal side of uterine gland and endometrial epithelial cells. During pregnancy, both the luminal and basal side of uterine gland epithelial cells expressed ROR2, stromal cell expression of ROR2 became more frequent and ROR2 expressing uterine Natural Killer (NK) cells and cells lining the maternal vascular space emerged. Immunofluorescence imaging and flow cytometry revealed that although uterine NK cells expressed ROR2, NK cells of the spleen were ROR2 negative.

Conclusion

The expression of ROR2 by endometrial epithelial cells may suggest WNT signaling has roles in uterine epithelial cell polarity or implantation. Expression of ROR2 by uterine NK cells may suggest WNT signaling regulates uterine NK cell functions such angiogenesis and regulation of trophoblast migration. In summary, our results show that ROR2 expression by maternal uterine cells is influenced by pregnancy.

Keywords: Decidua, Estrous cycle, Receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2, Uterine natural killer cell, WNT signaling

 

PII: S0143-4004(10)00038-X

doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2010.01.012

Placenta
Volume 31, Issue 4 , Pages 327-333, April 2010

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