Potential of lactic acid bacteria at regulating Escherichia coli infection and inflammation of bovine endometrium

Abstract

About 40% of dairy cattle develop uterine disease during postpartum period, causing infertility. Some studies indicate that uterine infection, predominantly by Escherichia coli in the first week postpartum, is associated with metritis, an uterus inflammation in which the cow fails to completely clear bacterial contaminants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of four lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Pediococcus acidilactici, Lactobacillus reuteri, and Lactobacillus sakei) to modulate the E coli infection and inflammation in endometrial cells. Primary endometrial epithelial cells were isolated from fresh endometrium of a healthy cow and cultured in vitro to evaluate the effects of LAB at three different doses. Cell extracts were obtained to analyze the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and to quantify E coli infection on MacConkey agar plates. L sakei and L reuteri showed a positive effect preventing E coli infection (87% and 78%, respectively, P < 0.001); however, they were also associated to a dose-variable effect on tissular inflammation that could further exacerbate the proinflammatory status. Infection of E coli was clearly reduced (P < 0.001) up to an 83% with P acidilactici, whereas, the expression of proinflammatory cytokines IL-8 and IL-1β dropped significantly (P < 0.001) up to 85.11 and 5.24 folds, respectively, in the presence of L rhamnosus. In conclusion, these results demonstrate a clear potential of some LAB in the modulation of endometrial infection and inflammation in cattle.