Energy substrates in bovine oviduct and uterine fluid and blood plasma during the oestrous cycle

Abstract

Up to 40 percent of cattle embryos die within 3 weeks of fertilization but there is little or no published information on the composition of the oviduct and uterine fluids essential for their survival during this time. We have measured the concentrations of the energy substrates, glucose, lactate, and pyruvate in cattle oviduct fluid on Days 0, 2, 4, and 6 and uterine fluid on Days 6, 8, and 14 of the oestrous cycle and corresponding blood samples. Oviduct and uterine fluids were collected in situ. Glucose concentrations in oviduct and uterine fluids were similar on all days and lower than in plasma (P < 0.05). Oviduct lactate concentration was up to eightfold higher than uterine or plasma concentration (P < 0.01). Oviduct pyruvate concentrations were similar on all days and lower than plasma concentrations on Days 0 and 2 (P < 0.005). Pyruvate concentrations were similar in the uterus and in plasma except on Day 14 when the concentration in plasma was higher (P < 0.05). There were no associations between systemic progesterone or oestradiol and glucose, lactate or pyruvate. There was a linear positive relationship (P < 0.001) between oviduct fluid secretion rate and oviduct glucose concentration and a linear negative relationship (P < 0.001) between oviduct fluid secretion rate and oviduct lactate, but no association between uterine fluid secretion rate and energy substrates. The different concentrations and associations between the energy substrates in oviduct and uterine fluids and blood plasma indicate a differential regulation of the secretion of these energy substrates by the oviduct and uterine epithelium.

Effect of progesterone on embryo survival

“…We were unable, however, to find a significant association between the concentration of systemic progesterone and the secretion rate of uterine fluid or the concentrations of amino acids, ions, or glucose, lactate and pyruvate in uterine fluid nor was there any differences between days 6, 8 and 14 (Hugentobler et al, 2007a(Hugentobler et al, , 2007b(Hugentobler et al, and 2007c.…”

“…Using short-term collection (under 3 h), we have recently been able for the first time, however, to collect both oviduct and uterine fluids under physiological conditions . This has enabled the objective measurement of the concentrations a range of amino acids (Hugentobler et al, 2007a), ions (Hugentobler et al, 2007b) and energy substrates (Hugentobler et al, 2007c) in oviduct and uterine fluid throughout the oestrous cycle. In these studies, the secretion rate of uterine fluid tended to decrease from 1.83 ml on day 6 to 1.04 ml on day 14; however, this decrease was not significant.…”

Porcine sperm capacitation involves tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of aldose reductase

“…The concentration of bicarbonate further increases to above 30 mM in the oviduct fluids, where sperm acquire fertilizing capacity through the second activation process, namely 'capacitation' (Maas et al 1977, Rodríguez-Martínez et al 2005. In addition, although fructose is the predominant respiratory substrate for sperm in semen, it is then replaced by glucose in the oviduct fluids (Mann 1946, Hugentobler et al 2008, Larose et al 2012. GLUT1 has been shown to play an important role in glucose transfer from the oviduct epithelium into the lumen and in the maintenance of adequate glucose concentrations in the oviduct fluid (Tadokoro et al 1995).…”

Effects of systemic progesterone during the early luteal phase on the availabilities of amino acids and glucose in the bovine uterine lumen

“…Recent studies with cattle examined the effects of cycle stage on amino acid and energy substrates in oviducal fluids on Days 0, 2, 3, 4 and 6 and uterine fluids on Days 6, 8 and 14 of the oestrous cycle (Hugentobler et al 2007(Hugentobler et al , 2008. In addition, the same group examined the effects of P4 infused on Day 1-4 on ions, amino acids and energy substrates in oviducal and uterine fluids collected on Days 3 and 6, respectively (Hugentobler et al 2010).…”