Effects of prepartum oilseed supplements on subclinical endometritis, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine transcripts in endometrial cells and postpartum ovarian function in dairy cows

Abstract

Abstract. Postpartum uterine infections affect ovarian function and delay ovulation in cattle. As dietary fats can affect immune cell function, we investigated the influence of prepartum diets on postpartum uterine inflammatory status (UIS) as assessed 25 AE 1 days postpartum by endometrial cytology (normal: #8% polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) vs subclinical endometritis (SCE): .8% PMN) and associations between SCE, pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokine gene expression and ovarian function. During the last 5 weeks of gestation, dairy cows received a diet supplemented with 8% rolled sunflower (n ¼ 10) or canola seed (n ¼ 9) or no oilseed (n ¼ 9). Ovaries were scanned until 35 days postpartum. Prepartum diets did not influence SCE, but a preovulatory-size follicle developed sooner (P # 0.05), the interval to first ovulation was shorter and the proportion of cows ovulating within 35 days postpartum was greater in the sunflower seed group. Although mRNA expression of cytokines was not affected by diet, cows with SCE had higher (P # 0.05) expression of interleukin-1b (IL1B), interleukin-8 (CXCL8), IL10 and tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF) than normal cows. The interval (mean AE s.e.m.) from calving to preovulatory-size follicle was shorter (P # 0.05) in normal (13.2 AE 0.9 days) than SCE cows (18.7 AE 1.4 days). In summary, a prepartum diet supplemented with sunflower seed positively influenced postpartum ovarian function without affecting UIS or pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokine gene expression in endometrial cells.

Endocannabinoids as endometrial inflammatory markers in lactating Holstein cows

“…Similar findings were reported by Galvão, Santos, Galvão, and Gilbert () and Salehi et al. () who also found an increase in IL1B , TNF and CXCL8 relative mRNA expression in endometrial of cows with subclinical endometritis compared to healthy cows. Endometrial mRNA expression of TNF, IL1B and CXCL8 was upregulated in response to an i.u.…”

“…These findings are consistent with earlier findings that the increased mRNA expression of IL1B and CXCL8 was related to the severity of uterine inflammation (Peter et al, 2015). Similar findings were reported by Galvão, Santos, Galvão, and Gilbert (2011) and Salehi et al (2017) who also found an increase in IL1B, TNF and CXCL8 relative mRNA expression in endometrial of cows with subclinical endometritis compared to healthy cows. Endometrial mRNA expression of TNF, IL1B and CXCL8 was upregulated in response to an i.u.…”

“…Samples were expressed relative to ubiquitin as a housekeeping gene, which was stable under the culture conditions used compared to 18Srna and GAPDH. The primers used in this study have been published (Abolghasemi, Dirandeh, Ansari Pirsaraei, & Shohreh, 2016;Salehi, Colazo, Gobikrushanth, Basu, & Ambrose, 2017). Data were normalized to a calibrator sample using the ΔΔCt method.…”

Uterine inflammation affects the reproductive performance of dairy cows: A review

“…Calcium, Mo, P, Se, and Zn were lesser in cows with metritis and Ca, Cu, Mo, and Zn were lesser in cows with SCE compared with healthy cows (Bicalho et al, 2014b). Salehi et al (2016) found greater expression of genes associated with inflammation in cows with SCE (IL1B, IL8, IL10) and TNFα but did not find any differences when healthy and SCE cows were supplemented with oilseeds which are recognized to suppress inflammation. Other supplements such as monensin and high starch diets improved the activity of immune cells (PMN, phagocytes, and monocytes), but they did not improve uterine health in cows with SCE diagnosed by uterine lavage at 8 and 47 DIM.…”

“…The same effect was seen for SCE (> 8% PMN at 25 DIM). Cows with SCE had delayed resumption of ovarian activity after calving (Salehi et al, 2016). Some studies have examined the effects of uterine disease on ovarian structures and associated hormones.…”