Prostaglandin F2 Alpha Triggers the Disruption of Cell Adhesion with Cytokeratin and Vimentin in Bovine Luteal Theca Cells

Simple Summary Luteolysis is an important event in the control of the corpus luteum function in bovines. However, some aspects of the luteolytic mechanism remain unclear. We evaluated changes in cell adhesion in luteal cells during regression of corpus luteum. Bovine luteal theca cells (LTCs) were treated in vitro with Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha). Cytokeratin, vimentin and desmoplakin proteins in LTCs were disrupted by PGF2 alpha, affecting cell adhesion. These results suggest that PGF2 alpha plays an important function in cell adhesion during the regression of corpus luteum. Intermediate filaments (IFs) maintain cell-cell adhesions and are involved in diverse cellular processes such as cytokinesis, cell migration and the maintenance of cell structure. In this study, we investigated the influence of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) on cytokeratin and vimentin IFs, Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK), and cell-cell adhesion in bovine luteal theca cells (LTCs). The luteal cells were isolated from bovine corpus luteum (CL), and the LTCs were treated with 0, 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 mM PGF2 alpha. Cytokeratin, vimentin and desmoplakin proteins were disrupted and the ROCK protein was significantly increased in PGF2 alpha-treated LTCs. In addition, cell-cell adhesion was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in the PGF2 alpha-induced LTCs compared to control group (0 mM PGF2 alpha). In conclusion, PGF2 alpha affected the adhesion of cell to cell via disruption of desmoplakin, cytokeratin and vimentin, additionally increasing ROCK in bovine LTCs. These results may provide a better understanding of the mechanism of bovine CL regression.

Automated summary

The study found that PGF2 alpha affects cell adhesion in bovine luteal theca cells by disrupting cytokeratin, vimentin, and desmoplakin proteins, as well as increasing ROCK protein levels, leading to decreased cell-cell adhesion during corpus luteum regression.