Center for Reproductive Biology

Participating Faculty


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Name: James Pru
Department: Animal Sciences
Credentials: 2000~Ph.D. University of Wyoming
Office: Clark 255
Phone: 509-335-8913
Fax: 509-335-1082
Mailing Address: Animal Sciences
PO Box 646414
Pullman, WA 99164-6414
E-mail: jpru@wsu.edu

Research Interests

Understanding the molecular dialog
of early pregnancy, mechanisms of endometrial regeneration,
alternative progesterone signaling

Research Summary

My research focuses on understanding molecular events coordinating the physiology of embryo implantation using the mouse and domestic ruminants as model organisms. With a basic understanding of these processes, the long-term goal is to identify mechanisms that, when gone awry, contribute to infertility during early gestation. Related to embryo implantation, we are specifically interested in the processes by which the embryo signals its presence as it invades the uterine wall in an effort to establish an exchange apparatus for nutrients and waste. As progesterone coordinates many of the uterine events during embryo implantation, we are also interested in how ovarian-derived progesterone signals in the endometrium by non-classical mechanisms. We recently demonstrated expression of a novel membrane progestin receptor in the uterus and ongoing studies are designed to test the functional importance of this putative receptor in uterine physiology. In related studies, efforts are being made to learn how resident stem/progenitor cells of the endometrium contribute to uterine repair during the estrous/menstrual cycle and following parturition.

Research Publications

2005-2009

Pru JK. Progesterone signaling outside the TATA box. Biol Reprod. 2009; 80:842.

Pru JK, Kaneko-Tarui T, Jurisicova A, Kashiwagi A, Selesniemi K, Tilly JL. Induction of proapoptotic gene expression and recruitment of p53 herald ovarian follicle loss caused by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Reprod Sci. 2009; 16:347-356.

Pru, J.K., The risks of androgen treatment in postmenopausal women remain controversial: a need for equitable comparisons. Menopause, 2009. 16(3): p. 430-1.

Zhang L, Kanda Y, Roberts DJ, Ecker J, Losel R, Wehling M, Peluso JJ, Pru JK. Expression of progesterone receptor membrane component 1 and its partner Serpine 1 mRNA binding protein in uterine and placental tissues of the mouse and human. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2008; 287:81-89.

Teixeira J, Rueda BR, Pru JK. Uterine stem cells (July 31, 2008), StemBook, ed. The stem cell research community, StemBook, doi/10.3824/stembook.1.16.1, http://www.stembook.org.

Kashiwagi A, DiGirolamo CM, Kanda Y, Niikura Y, Esmon CT, Hansen T, Shioda T, Pru JK. The post-implantation embryo differentially regulates endometrial gene expression and development. Endocrinology. 2007; 148:4173-4184.

Pru, JK. Directly comparing routes of administration and types of hormone therapy on risk markers for breast cancer. Menopause. 2007; 14:611.

Kaneko-Tarui T, Zhang L, Austin KJ Johnson J, Henkes L, Hansen TR, Pru JK. Maternal and embryonic control of uterine sphingolipid metabolizing enzymes during embryo implantation. Biol Reprod. 2007; 77:658-665.

Skaznik-Wikiel ME, Kaneko-Tarui T, Kashiwagi A, Pru JK. Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor expression and signaling correlate with uterine prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase-2 expression and angiogenesis during early pregnancy. Biol Reprod. 2006; 74:569-576.


Center for Reproductive Biology, PO Box 647521, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164-7521, 509-335-2473, Contact Us