Influence of genetic dissimilarity of mother and fetus on progesterone concentrations in pregnant mice and adaptive features of offspring

Concentrations of progesterone in blood plasma and tissue were studied in pregnant mice of strains BALB/cLac and C57BL/6J. Both intra- and interstrain mating and embryo transplantations were used as models of homo- and heterotopic pregnancy. On day 4 of heterotopic pregnancy, plasma progesterone concentrations of females of both strains were higher than those in females of both strains undergoing homotopic pregnancy. In addition, tissue progesterone content of hybrid embryos was higher than that of purebred embryos. Adrenocortical responses to social conflict as indicators of stress resistance were studied in progeny aged 2-3 months. There was a minimal increase in plasma glucocorticoid concentrations in heterotopic transplantants after 15 min pair-matching tests and 30 min crowding compared with those of other progeny, including purebred male mice of BALB/cLac and C57BL/6J strains, homotransplantants and reciprocal hybrids. Thus, genetic dissimilarity of mother and fetuses plays an important role in progesterone provision during pregnancy and also modifies development of progeny.