Publication Database

Molecular insights in bovine endometritis and the intrauterine administration of Lactobacillus buchneri as a potential treatment of subclinical endometritis (2019)

Art

Hochschulschrift

Autor

Peter, Sarah (WE 3)

Quelle

Berlin, 2019 — V, 121 Seiten

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

URL (Volltext): https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/handle/fub188/25255

Kontakt

Institut für Veterinär-Biochemie

Oertzenweg 19 b
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62225
biochemie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

In the puerperium, inflammatory diseases of the bovine uterus are observed with a high prevalence in dairy cows. These diseases impair animal welfare, the reproductive performance of the herd and, as a result, the economic situation of dairy farms. To evaluate bovine uterine inflammatory diseases on a molecular basis, the endometrial mRNA expression of specific factors can be used. Representatives for inflammation include e.g. different types of immune cells (e.g. polymorphonuclear neutrophils [PMN]), mediators (e.g. interleukins [ILs], tumor necrosis factor [TNF], chemokine ligands [CXCLs]), enzymes (e.g. prostaglandin [PG] synthases, matrix metallopeptidase 1 [MMP1]) and receptors (e.g. protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor type C [PTPRC], platelet-activating factor receptor [PTAFR]). For the therapy of bovine uterine inflammatory diseases, mainly antibiotics and the hormone PGF2α are applied. However, there are disadvantages to both strategies, such as possible residues in animal products and the potential development of bacterial resistances or a questionable efficiency, respectively. This explains the ongoing search for alternatives, which includes research about Lactobacillus (L.) spp. as potential probiotics for the bovine reproductive tract. The aim of the first study was the evaluation of the mRNA expression profiles of selected pro-inflammatory factors in the endometrium of dairy cows depending on their uterine health status (healthy [H], subclinical endometritis [SCE] and clinical endometritis [CE]) during the second half of the puerperium (days 24-51 postpartum [pp]). The second study analyzed the uterine health, the endometrial PMN contents and the endometrial mRNA expression profiles of selected pro-inflammatory factors after the intrauterine administration of L. buchneri DSM 32407 on days 24-30 pp to cows with SCE. In addition, the impact of L. buchneri DSM 32407 on the histopathology of endometrial biopsy samples of clinically healthy cows (taken at various days pp) was evaluated. Furthermore, the influence of the intrauterine administration of L. buchneri DSM 32407 on days 24-30 pp to clinically healthy cows (H and SCE) on reproductive performance was investigated. For both studies, cows were examined and sampled on a weekly basis during days 24-51 pp. Additionally, endometrial samples for the cultivation of bacteria were obtained in both studies. The mRNA expression analysis of endometrial pro-inflammatory factors revealed the strongest correlation to the uterine health status on days 45-51 pp, the end of the puerperal period. In contrast to the earlier investigated time points, almost all of the selected factors were significantly higher expressed in endometrial samples from cows with SCE and/or CE in comparison to healthy cows. This regards the mRNA expression of CXCL1/2, CXCL3, CXCL5, chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2), IL1A, IL1B, IL6, IL8, prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 1 (PTGS1), PTGS2, prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS), TNF, MMP1 and PTAFR. The intrauterine administration of L. buchneri DSM 32407 on days 24-30 pp to cows with SCE resulted in a significantly higher mRNA expression of TNF on days 31-37 pp. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of CXCL1/2, CXCL3, CXCR2, IL1B, IL8 and PTPRC was significantly lower on days 45-51 pp in comparison to cows treated with a placebo. The histopathological evaluation showed an infiltration of immune cells into the endometrium one week after the intrauterine administration of L. buchneri DSM 32407. Clinically healthy cows treated with L. buchneri DSM 32407 had significantly shorter median days to conception compared to cows treated with a placebo (103 vs. 133 median days to conception; P = 0.035). This difference was even more significant when only cows with SCE were observed (74 vs. 164 median days to conception; P = 0.001). In the first study, there was a significantly higher number of endometrial samples positive for cultivable Trueperella (T.) pyogenes on days 24-30 pp from cows with CE in comparison to cows from the H and SCE group. The second study showed a significantly higher number of endometrial samples positive for Histophilus (H.) somni on days 31-37 pp in the SCE group that received a placebo in comparison to the whole group (H and SCE) that received L. buchneri DSM 32407. In conclusion, the first study revealed the strongest correlation of endometrial pro-inflammatory mRNA contents to the uterine health status (H, SCE and CE) on days 45-51 pp. This suggests that the mRNA expression analysis could be a powerful tool for the judgement of the severity of endometrial inflammation especially at this time point of the puerperium. The second study showed that an intrauterine administration of L. buchneri DSM 32407 first had an immunostimulatory effect with a subsequent downregulation of the endometrial immune system on days 45-51 pp. Moreover, the intrauterine administration of L. buchneri DSM 32407 was highly beneficial for the following reproductive performance of clinically healthy cows (H and SCE). Overall, this indicates that an intrauterine administration of L. buchneri DSM 32407 on days 24-30 pp could contribute to a uterine environment that is associated with health on days 45-51 pp and an improved subsequent reproductive performance.