Two doctoral students from our Institute – Ewelina Żebrowska and Natalia Walędziak – have won valuable awards for their conference presentations.
At the conference Endometritis as a cause of infertility in domestic animals, held June 22-24, 2022, in Krakow, Poland, Ewelina Żebrowska was awarded for the best poster presentation titled „The effect of interleukin six on the expression of genes involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis in mares – in vitro studies.” A few days later, the doctoral student was awarded the Grand Prize for her oral presentation at the Polish Physiological Society’s 11th Adepts of Physiology Conference entitled Adepts of Physiology – Our Passion Unites, held June 27-28, 2022, in Olsztyn. Natalia Walędziak also received an Honorable Mention for her oral presentation at the same conference.
Ewelina Żebrowska from the Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology received the Grand Prize for oral presentations for research performed within the OPUS 19 project entitled „Recognition of molecular mechanisms of interactions between endometrial macrophages and fibroblasts in processes involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis in mares,” supervised by Anna Szóstek-Mioduchowska, Ph.D.
Endometriosis is a fibrosis of the endometrium in mares, which is one of the leading causes of infertility and early embryo loss. Endometriosis is characterized by excessive collagen deposition and impaired expression of enzymes known as metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are responsible for the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) in the endometrium. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a cytokine produced mainly by immune cells – monocytes and macrophages. It plays a role in the fibrosis of tissues and organs, including the liver and lungs. Tissue fibrosis results from chronic inflammation, during which macrophages secrete IL-6. This study aimed to determine the effect of IL-6 on the expression of extracellular matrix components, MMPs, and TIMPs at the mRNA level in endometrial fibroblasts.
Natalia Walędziak from the Department of Reproductive Physiology and Toxicology received an Honorable Mention for her oral presentation. „The mRNA and protein expression and cellular localization of phoenix 14 and its receptor GPR173 in the endometrium of the cow during the estrous cycle.” Her scientific supervisor is Magdalena Kowalik, Ph.D. The research was carried out under the PRELUDIUM BIS 2 project entitled „Secretory function and proliferative activity of the endometrium: involvement of phoenixin 14”.
Phoenix is a newly discovered neuropeptide in two variants: phoenixin 14 (PNX-14) and phoenixin 20 (PNX-20). Phoenix has been found to regulate reproductive function by acting on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal hormonal axis and also stimulates steroidogenesis (steroid hormone synthesis) in fish gonads and maturation of mouse oocytes. The role of this neuropeptide in regulating endometrial function has so far remained unknown. This study aimed to determine the cellular localization, mRNA, and protein expression of PNX-14 and its receptor GPR173 in the bovine endometrium during the estrous cycle.
