Glycosylation changes during differentiation of the murine uterine epithelium.
In mouse uterine luminal epithelium (LE) several terminal carbohydrate structures are regulated by ovarian steroids and show stage-specific expression during early pregnancy. We have demonstrated that expression of H-type-1 antigen (Fucalpha1-2Galbeta1-3GlcNAcbeta1-) is regulated by oestrogenic stimulation of alpha1-2fucosyltransferase (fut1) mRNA levels in LE. H-type-1 expression is high after ovulation but becomes negligible after implantation. In contrast, NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-, and specifically sialyl Le-x (NeuAcalpha2,3Galbeta1,4[Fucalpha1-3]GlcNAcbeta1-), is stimulated by progesterone. It is not expressed on LE after ovulation but is expressed maximally on apical LE at the time of and after implantation. However, mRNA levels for 4 out of 5 known Gal/GalNAc alpha2-3sialyltransferases appear not to change in LE during early pregnancy, suggesting an alternative level of control.