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Characterization of conceptus-produced goat interferon and analysis of its temporal and cellular distribution during early pregnancy

Two proteins (17 and 22–24 kDa) produced by day 17 goat conceptuses were purified from in vitro culture media. Analysis of their N-terminal amino acid sequences and of their antiviral activity confirmed that both proteins belonged to the interferon tau family characteristic of ruminant conceptuses. The two molecules were glycosylated (22–24 kDa) or nonglycosylated (17 kDa) isoforms of the same protein. The time course of secretion was plotted and immunoblotting of the protein contents of uterine flushings from day 13 to day 21 of pregnancy was performed. The nonglycosylated isoform (17 kDa) was first detected on day 16; both isoforms were present at day 17 and, thereafter during pregnancy, the two proteins were not present in uterine flushings. Immunohistochemistry was used to show that the goat interferon tau was present in the trophoblastic cells as early as day 14 and until day 17. However, immunostaining was not uniform along the conceptus; labelling was greater at the abembryonic pole than at the embryonic pole. By day 18, as implantation proceeded, goat interferon tau was no longer detected. These results confirmed that the goat conceptus secretes interferon tau during the period of maternal recognition of pregnancy but its rapid decrease suggests that other factors need to be present by day 18 to take over its role in the maintenance of luteal function.

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