Abstract
Innate immunity is the principal sensor responsible of the local immune response to control mucosal bacterial contamination of the reproductive tract after parturition, triggering a pro-inflammatory process in the mucosa of the uterus, the vaginal and the cervix. However, knowledge about the inflammation process and outcome of the cervix in dairy cows is scarce even though it plays an important anatomic and functional role between the vagina and the uterus. The objective of the present study was to describe the cellular and humoral local innate immune response during clinical cervicitis (CC) in the uterus and vaginal fornix in pre- and post-partum periods of dairy cows. A retrospective descriptive study was performed involving 26 animals, characterized as clinical cervicitis cows (n = 19) and healthy cows (n = 7). Blood and mucus of the different compartments of the genital tract were sampled and records of the cows' genital exam were performed four times: −1 w (day −7 ± 2, prepartum), +1 w (day +7 ± 4), +3 w (day +21 ± 4) and +5 w (day +35 ± 4) postpartum. Clinical cervicitis was defined as cows exhibiting a cervix grade−2 and healthy cows were defined as a cow clinically normal with a grade-0 cervix at time +5 w. Blood white cell count, vaginal fornix and endometrial neutrophils percentage, and the concentrations of interleukin 1α (IL1), interleukin 8 (IL8), and α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) in mucus were determined. The results showed that 23% of the cows were categorized as CC at time +5 w. Cases of CC with purulent vaginal discharge or subclinical endometritis shown the highest cytokine production. At +3 w, IL1, IL8, and AGP concentrations in the uterus and the fornix were significantly higher in CC than healthy cows (CH). In conclusion, the 3-week postpartum is a critical point to evaluate cytokines and acute phase proteins; where IL1 and IL8 variation kept a direct relation with neutrophils numbers and function. The presence of AGP in the endometrium infer a homeostatic proinflammatory protective balance effect, modulating the local uterine innate immune response during peripartum.
Highlights
Most parturient cows (90%) experience bacterial contamination of the uterine cavity and endometrial damages that trigger an active inflammatory response to clear the infection and repair the tissues, respectively [1, 2]
Innate immunity plays an important role in keeping postpartum reproductive tract microflora balance; where the cervix acts as an anatomical barrier protecting the uterus from external pathogens producing cervical mucus [12, 21, 22]
Puerperal physiological modifications occurring in the reproductive tract, changes in the local microflora and arisen of potential pathogens, and physical traumas associated with calving or obstetrical manipulations may trigger cervical inflammation
Summary
Most parturient cows (90%) experience bacterial contamination of the uterine cavity and endometrial damages that trigger an active inflammatory response to clear the infection and repair the tissues, respectively [1, 2]. The incidence of postpartum uterine disease (PUD) is high in dairy cows worldwide and includes clinical (metritis, endometritis) and non-clinically conditions such as subclinical endometritis [7] affecting the overall animal fertility. Previous studies reported that 60.8 and 45% of dairy cows had clinical cervicitis and cytological cervicitis, respectively, between 42 and 50 days postpartum [10, 12]. Knowledge of inflammation or infection of the cervix and the subsequent influence on reproduction in dairy cows is limited
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