Comparison of the Global Gene Expression Profiles in the Bovine Endometrium between Summer and Autumn Seasons

To examine the difference of the endometrial conditions in the cows between on summer and autumn seasons, gene expression profiles were compared. The expressions of 268 genes were significantly higher in the endometrium collected on summer than those on autumn, whereas 369 genes were lower (P<0.05 or lower). Transcripts of GP2 and NTS were more abundant in the endometrium of summer than those of autumn (P<0.05). In contrast, the mRNA expressions of CDH1 and HSPH1 were lower in the endometrium of summer seasons (P<0.1). Collectively, the different gene expression profiles may contribute to functional differences of endometrium between the summer and autumn seasons, and GP2 and NTS may have a relevance to endometrial deficiency that cause infertility of cows on summer seasons. Bovine endometrium were obtained from Japanese-Black cows (day 15 of the estrous cycle) by a biopsy methods on summer (early in September) and autumn (mid-November) of two consecutive years.