Expression study of pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute phase proteins in post-partum crossbred dairy cows with subclinical endometritis

Abstract

Subclinical endometritis (SCE) is one of the causes of poor reproductive performance in dairy cows. The objective of the study was to evaluate the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines [PICs; Interleukin -1 beta (IL-1β), Interleukin -6 (IL-6), and Tumor necrosis factor- alpha (TNF-α)] and Acute phase proteins [APPs; Serum Amyloid- A (SAA) and Haptoglobin (HP)] in blood and uterine flushings of postpartum dairy cows with subclinical endometritis (SCE). Animals (n=49) were screened for SCE at 60 days postpartum (dpp) using the endometrial cytobrush cytology, and those with PMN cell percentage ≥ 18% were identified as SCE cows. The blood samples and uterine flushings from SCE (n=15) and the control group (n=15) were assessed for mRNA expressions of PICs and APPs using the Real-Time PCR method (RT-PCR). The PICs and APPs except TNF-α were non-significant (p>0.05) in blood samples whereas a significant difference (p<0.05) was found in uterine flushings. The PICs and APPs were significantly up-regulated in the uterine endometrium indicating that collection of uterine flushings at 60 dpp could be used as a diagnostic method for evaluating gene expressions of inflammatory mediators in dairy cows with SCE.

Keywords

• endometrial cytobrush
• pro-inflammatory cytokines
• acute phase proteins