Localization and quantitation of hyaluronan and sulfated glycosaminoglycans in the tissues and intraluminal fluid of the pig oviduct

Abstract

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), hyaluronan (HA) and heparan sulfate (HS) werelocalized in the pre- and post-ovulatory oviducts of inseminated and control(non-inseminated) sows using biotinylated HA-binding protein (HABP) andanti-syndecan antibodies respectively. In addition, the concentrations of HAand total sulfated GAGs (S-GAGs) were measured in fluid collectedin vivo from either a selected tubal segment (isthmus orampulla) or from the contralateral whole oviduct (WO) of non-inseminated sowsduring proestrus-metoestrus. HA was localized in the lamina propria ofthe entire oviduct, but epithelial HA-labelling was only present in the spermreservoir (utero-tubal junction-adjacent isthmus) in control andinseminated sows. In contrast, immunolabelling for HS proteoglycans (HSPGs,syndecans) was present on the entire epithelial lining, both pre and postovulation and in both sow groups. Both HA and S-GAGs could be detected in theintraluminal fluid. Concentrations varied among sows and segments; those ofthe S-GAGs being higher (P<0.05) than that of HA.Mean levels of S-GAGs and HA tended to increase in the fluid collected fromisthmus and ampulla during standing oestrus. Fluid levels from the WO,however, fluctuated less during the collection period. Major statisticaldifferences were not present, owing to the large variation seen betweenanimals. The results confirm, however, that GAGs are present in the pigoviduct. The conspicuous localization in the sperm reservoir and the tendencyto higher levels in the fluid during pre-ovulatory oestrus support thehypothesis that GAGs play a role in modulating sperm viability andcapacitation during sperm transport in the pig oviduct.