Effect of Subclinical Endometritis on Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines, Prostaglandin-e2, MUC-1 and Cortisol Levels in Uterine Lavage of Repeat Breeder Dairy Cows

Abstract

Subclinical endometritis (SCE) is considered one of the main causes of repeat breeding in cows leading to severe economic losses due to increased open days, calving interval and number of inseminations to achieve conception. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the uterine immunological and biochemical changes related to subclinical endometritis. Total number of sixty Holstein dairy cows, were divided into three groups equally, the first group was repeat breeder cows with subclinical endometritis (group-1) (SCE), second group was repeat breeder cows without subclinical endometritis (group-2) (No-SCE) (relying on cytobrush samples neutrophils polymorphnuclear cells (PMNs) %) while the third group was healthy cows (group-3) as negative control group. Our results revealed that uterine wash had a significant higher level of TNF-α, IL-10, PGE-2 and cortisol in SCE group compared to No-SCE and control groups (P<0.05), however, MUC-1 level was significantly elevated in both SCE and Non-SCE groups compared to negative control group(P<0.05). In conclusion, the elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, Prostaglandin-e2, MUC-1 and cortisol may share fundamentally in infertility disturbance associated with subclinical endometritis.