Abstract
BackgroundLactation and associated metabolic stresses during the post-partum period have been shown to impair fertility in dairy cows. The oviduct plays key roles in embryo development and the establishment of pregnancy in cattle. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lactation and location relative to the corpus luteum (CL) on the transcriptome of the bovine oviduct epithelium.ResultsAn original animal model was used. At 60 days post-partum, Holstein lactating (n = 4) and non-lactating (i.e. never milked after calving; n = 5) cows, as well as control nulliparous heifers (n = 5), were slaughtered on Day 3 following induced estrus, and epithelial samples from the oviductal ampulla and isthmus ipsilateral and contralateral to the corpus luteum (CL) were recovered for RNA sequencing. In the oviduct ipsilateral to the CL, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between heifers compared with both postpartum cow groups. However, only 15 DEGs were identified between post-partum lactating and non-lactating cows in the ipsilateral isthmus and none were identified in the ipsilateral ampulla. In contrast, 192 and 2583 DEGs were identified between ipsilateral and contralateral ampulla and isthmus, respectively. In both regions, more DEGs were identified between ipsilateral and contralateral oviducts in non-lactating cows and heifers than in lactating cows. Functional annotation of the DEGs associated with comparisons between metabolic groups highlighted a number of over-represented biological functions and cell pathways including immune response and cholesterol/steroid biosynthesis.ConclusionsGene expression in the oviduct epithelium, particularly in the isthmus, was more affected by the location relative to the CL than by lactation at Day 3 post-estrus. Furthermore, the effect of the proximity to the CL was modulated by the metabolic status of the cow.
Highlights
Lactation and associated metabolic stresses during the post-partum period have been shown to impair fertility in dairy cows
In the ampulla The comparison of post-partum lactating vs. non-lactating cows and heifers vs. post-partum non-lactating cows revealed no differentially expressed genes (DEG) in the ampulla
In the isthmus In the isthmus, only 15 DEGs were identified between post-partum lactating and non-lactating cows
Summary
Lactation and associated metabolic stresses during the post-partum period have been shown to impair fertility in dairy cows. The oviduct clearly plays a role in providing an appropriate environment conducive to normal embryo development and establishment of pregnancy. We have reported that embryo development to Day 7 following endoscopic transfer to the oviducts of postpartum lactating cows was compromised in comparison to that in the tract of nulliparous heifers [10], consistent with the previously reviewed data. Consistent with the results of Rizos et al [10], transfer of embryos to the oviducts of lactating cows resulted in lower blastocyst development than that observed in post-partum non-lactating cows or heifers [11], suggesting an impaired oviduct environment due to the metabolic stress associated with lactation. Data on the effects of lactation on the oviductal environment are currently lacking
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