Pregnancy-specific protein B (bPSPB) and progesterone monitoring of post-partum dairy cows with placental retention

Novel Approach for Evaluating Pregnancy-Associated Glycoprotein and Inflammation Markers during the Postpartum Period in Holstein Friesian Cows

We evaluated the relationship between decreased pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) levels, inflammatory parameters (serum amyloid A [SAA] and milk amyloid A [MAA]), postpartum inflammatory conditions (mastitis, ketosis, and follicular cysts), and the FOXP3 gene. Nineteen Holstein-Friesian cows were included in this study. Up to approximately eight weeks after delivery, weekly health examinations were performed for mastitis and ketosis, and reproductive organ ultrasonography was performed. The decreasing PAG rate was negatively correlated with SAA concentration (r = -0.493, p = 0.032). Cows with mastitis exhibited a slower trend of PAG decrease (p = 0.095), and a greater percentage of these cows had MAA concentrations above 12 µg/mL (p = 0.074) compared with those without mastitis. A negative correlation, although nonsignificant (r = -0.263, p = 0.385), was observed between the day-open period and decreased PAG rate. The day-open period was correlated with the presence or absence of follicular cysts (p = 0.046). Four cows that developed follicular cysts were homozygous for the G allele of the FOXP3 gene related to repeat breeders. These results indicate a relationship between a decreased PAG rate and inflammatory status during the postpartum period. Thus, suppressing inflammation during the perinatal period may improve reproductive efficiency in the dairy industry.

Expression profile and protein levels of placental products as indirect measures of placental function in in vitro-derived bovine pregnancies

Bovine conceptus development and its association with placental proteins present in maternal, foetal and neonatal plasma and foetal (amniotic and allantoic) fluids were investigated inin vivo- andin vitro-produced (IVP) concepti and newborn calves. Females were superovulated to obtain control embryos, whereas IVP embryos were derived from establishedin vitroprocedures. Pregnant animals were slaughtered on days 90 or 180 of gestation or allowed to develop to term for the assessment of physical traits. Foetal, maternal and neonatal blood and foetal fluids were collected for the determination of bovine placental lactogen (bPL) and bovine pregnancy-specific protein B (bPSPB) concentrations. Placental transcripts for bPL and bPSPB, determined by quantitative RT-PCR, were elevated in IVP placentomes. No major physical differences were observed between groups on day 90, but concentrations of bPL and bPSPB were higher in foetal plasma and allantoic fluid of IVP concepti in day 180 pregnancies, which were correlated with larger uterine and conceptus traits. Maternal concentrations of bPL in IVP pregnancies were lower than controls during the last 8 weeks of gestation, to become similar as parturition approached. Newborn IVP calves and foetal membranes were larger and displayed higher concentrations of plasma bPL than controls (10 and 60 min after birth). Our results indicated that differential patterns of secretion of bPL and bPSPB into the maternal and foetal systems occurred at distinct stages of gestation, and these were associated with altered conceptus development afterin vitroembryo manipulations, indirectly demonstrating deviations in placental function in IVP pregnancies.