Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids alter the expression of genes involved in prostaglandin biosynthesis in the bovine uterus.

Abstract Nutrition plays a critical role in the regulation of cow fertility. There is emerging evidence that dietary long chain n -3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n -3 PUFA) may act as specific regulators of some reproductive processes. In vitro studies suggest that the n- 3 PUFAs, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may play pivotal roles by suppressing the synthesis of uterine prostaglandin F 2α (PGF 2α ) which is centrally involved in the control of the bovine oestrous cycle and in early embryo survival. The objective of the current study was to determine the effect of dietary inclusion of n -3 PUFA on uterine endometrial mRNA expression of key genes regulating PGF 2α biosynthesis. Beef heifers were fed either a low (CON; n  = 10) or high (HIGH PUFA; n  = 10) n -3 PUFA diet for 45 days and endometrial tissues were harvested following slaughter. Following analysis, tissues within each dietary group were ranked on the basis of their PUFA concentrations and the highest ( n  = 7) and lowest ( n  = 7) within each of HIGH PUFA and CON, respectively, were used in gene expression studies. Endometrial n -3 PUFA concentrations were more than two-fold higher ( P P P P 2 (PLA 2 ) was decreased ( P =  0.06) in the HIGH PUFA endometrial tissues. Expression of genes coding for the oxytocin receptor (OTR), phospholipase C (PLC), cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), PGE 2 9-ketoreductase (9-KPR), prostaglandin F synthase (PGFS), and the nuclear transcription factor, PPAR γ was not different ( P  > 0.05) between HIGH PUFA and CON tissues. Overall the results indicate that key genes regulating uterine PGF 2α biosynthesis can be regulated by dietary inclusion of LC n -3 PUFA which may influence uterine function and embryo survival.