28 Steroid hormones are differentially abundant in sows with elevated risk for pelvic organ prolapse during late gestation

Abstract

Abstract Sow mortality, as the result of pelvic organ prolapse (POP), has increased during recent years in the U.S. swine industry and continues to worsen. The objective of this study was to identify putative biological factors associated with POP risk. We hypothesized sows differing in POP risk would differ in serum factors and steroid hormone profiles. Perineal scores (PS) were assigned to sows (n=2865) during late gestation (days 107-116) to assess POP risk. Sows assigned a PS1 had a presumed low risk of POP while those assigned a PS2 or PS3 had a presumed moderate or high risk of POP, respectively. Subsequently, 1.0, 2.7, and 23.4% of sows scored as PS1, PS2, or PS3, experienced POP, respectively. Blood samples were collected on a subset of sows (n=215) identified as PS3 along with parity-matched PS1 sows at the time of scoring and whole blood was subjected to complete blood count (CBC) analysis. Serum from a subset of these (n=110) samples were also subjected to a 17-panel hormone analysis. Additionally, serum biomarkers of inflammation, C-reactive protein and haptoglobin, were analyzed in PS3 sows that subsequently experienced POP and parity matched PS1 sows that did not experience POP. The CBC analysis revealed a 4.3, 7.8 and 5.9% decrease (P < 0.05) in mean platelet volume, lymphocytes, and monocytes, respectively, in PS3 compared to PS1 sows. Deoxycortisol, androstenedione, androsterone, estrone, β-estradiol, and testosterone were greater (P < 0.05) in PS3 compared to PS1 sows. Circulating haptoglobin was unaffected (P = 0.35) by PS, although C-reactive protein was 24.6% greater (P = 0.02) in PS3 sows. Collectively, serum differences in hormone profiles and biomarkers consistent with inflammation in sows differing in POP risk. This project was supported by the National Pork Board and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research.