Increased expression of a novel heat shock protein transcript in the mouse uterus during decidualization and in response to progesterone

The objective of the present study was to identify and characterize transcripts whose levels are increased in the mouse uterus during decidualization. Using the method of suppression subtractive hybridization, we identified a novel transcript. This transcript contained a potential open reading frame that coded for a 196-amino-acid protein that shows homologies to the heat shock protein 20 family of genes. This transcript was expressed in several adult tissues and in the embryo. Its steady-state level was significantly greater in implantation segments of the uterus compared to nonimplantation segments. Furthermore, the steady-state levels of this novel transcript were significantly greater in uterine horns undergoing artificially induced decidualization compared to control contralateral horns. Using in situ hybridization methods, signals for the transcript were localized to the endometrial stromal cells that were undergoing decidualization. Finally, we found that progesterone caused a significant increase in the steady-state level of this novel transcript in the uterus when administered to ovariectomized mice. In the presence of estradiol-17 beta, this effect was significantly reduced. In conclusion, we have identified a novel transcript of a potential heat shock protein whose level is significantly increased in the uterus during decidualization and in response to progesterone.