The reproductive tract in avian females is sensitive to hormonal regulation. Exogenous estrogen induces immature oviduct development to improve egg production after molting. In this process, regressed female reproductive tract is regenerated in response to the secretion of estrogen. However, there is limited knowledge on the physiological mechanisms underlying the regulation of the avian female reproductive system. In our previous study, results from microarray analysis revealed that the expression of genes encoding egg white proteins is affected during molting. Herein, we artificially induced the molting period in chickens through a zinc-containing diet. Subsequently, changes in the expression of genes encoding egg white proteins were confirmed in the oviduct tissue. The levels of MUC5B, ORM1, RTBDN, and TENP mRNA were significantly high in the oviduct, and the genes were repressed in the regression phase, whereas these were expressed in the recrudescence phase, particularly in the luminal epithelium and glandular epithelium of the oviduct, during molting. Moreover, we observed that gene expression was induced in the magnum, the site for the secretion of egg white components. Next, differences in expression levels of the four genes in normal and cancerous ovaries were compared. Collectively, results suggest that the four selected genes are expressed in the female chicken reproductive tract in response to hormonal regulation, and egg white protein-encoding genes may serve as modulators of the reproductive system in hens.

中文翻译：

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激素刺激下蛋清相关基因表达的改变

鸟类雌性的生殖道对激素调节很敏感。外源性雌激素诱导未成熟的输卵管发育以提高蜕皮后的产蛋量。在这个过程中，退化的女性生殖道因雌激素的分泌而再生。然而，关于调节鸟类雌性生殖系统的生理机制的知识有限。在我们之前的研究中，微阵列分析的结果表明，编码蛋清蛋白的基因的表达在蜕皮过程中受到影响。在此，我们通过含锌饮食人为诱导鸡蜕皮期。随后，在输卵管组织中证实了编码卵清蛋白的基因表达的变化。MUC5B、ORM1、RTBDN、和 TENP mRNA 在输卵管中显着高，并且基因在退化期被抑制，而这些基因在蜕皮期间在复发期表达，特别是在输卵管的管腔上皮和腺上皮中。此外，我们观察到基因表达在蛋清成分分泌的部位——大杯中被诱导。接下来，比较了正常和癌变卵巢中四种基因的表达水平差异。总的来说，结果表明这四个选定的基因在雌性鸡的生殖道中表达，以响应激素调节，蛋清蛋白编码基因可能作为母鸡生殖系统的调节剂。尤其是在蜕皮期间，输卵管的管腔上皮和腺上皮。此外，我们观察到基因表达在蛋清成分分泌的部位——大杯中被诱导。接下来，比较了正常和癌变卵巢中四种基因的表达水平差异。总的来说，结果表明这四个选定的基因在雌性鸡的生殖道中表达，以响应激素调节，蛋清蛋白编码基因可能作为母鸡生殖系统的调节剂。尤其是在蜕皮期间，输卵管的管腔上皮和腺上皮。此外，我们观察到基因表达在蛋清成分分泌的部位——大杯中被诱导。接下来，比较了正常和癌变卵巢中四种基因的表达水平差异。总的来说，结果表明这四个选定的基因在雌性鸡的生殖道中表达，以响应激素调节，蛋清蛋白编码基因可能作为母鸡生殖系统的调节剂。比较了正常和癌变卵巢中四种基因表达水平的差异。总的来说，结果表明这四个选定的基因在雌性鸡的生殖道中表达，以响应激素调节，蛋清蛋白编码基因可能作为母鸡生殖系统的调节剂。比较了正常和癌变卵巢中四种基因表达水平的差异。总的来说，结果表明这四个选定的基因在雌性鸡的生殖道中表达，以响应激素调节，蛋清蛋白编码基因可能作为母鸡生殖系统的调节剂。