Abstract
In dairy cows, retained fetal membranes (RFM) affect reproductive performance. The aim of this study was to examine the leukocyte counts and the gene expression of tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-8, and IL-10 in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in cows with (n=5) or without (n=5) RFM during the peripartum period. The lymphocyte counts in RFM cows were higher than those in control cows throughout the experiment (p<.05). The expression of IL-8 in PMNs of control cows was higher (p<.05) compared with that of RFM cows postpartum. In cows with RFM, IL-1β expression was higher (p<.05) in PMNs at 6weeks postpartum whereas the expression of IL-1β was lower (p<.05) in PBMCs at 4weeks postpartum. The expression of IL-10 in PBMCs of control cows was higher (p<.05) than that of RFM cows at 2weeks prepartum and 4weeks postpartum. Taken together, our data indicate that changes of gene expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in RFM cows might be associated with the delayed placental separation and development of uterine inflammation in RFM cows.
Published Version
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