MOLECULAR REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT 73:850–858 (2006) Regulation of Conceptus Adhesion by Endometrial CXC Chemokines During the Implantation Period in Sheep

ABSTRACT To gain a better understanding of biochemical mechanisms of conceptus adhesion to the maternal endometrium in ruminant ungulates, the present study was performed to clarify roles of chemokines and extracellular matrix (ECM) components in the regulation of ovine blastocyst attachment to the endometrium. In addition to the chemokine, interferon-g inducible protein 10 kDa (IP-10, CXCL10), the chemokine receptor, CXCR3, also recognizes two other chemokines; monokine induced by IFN-g (MIG, CXCL9) and IFN-inducible T cell a chemoattractant (I-TAC, CXCL11). Similar to CXCL10, CXCL9, and CXCL11 were expressed in the uterus during the periimplantation period, and CXCL9 mRNA expression was stimulated in endometrial explants from day 14