LPS-challenged TNFα production, prostaglandin secretion, and TNFα/TNFRs expression in the endometrium of domestic cats in estrus or diestrus, and in cats with pyometra or receiving medroxyprogesterone acetate

Molecular Factors Involved in the Reproductive Morphophysiology of Female Domestic Cat (Felis catus)

The domestic cat (Felis catus) is considered an important model for the study of feline reproductive morphophysiology. However, although the morphological changes and clinical signs that occur during the estrous cycle and pregnancy are well known, little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in the reproductive physiology of this animal species. Thus, this paper reviews the current knowledge about the modulation and expression profile of hormonal, immunological, redox, and growth mediators involved in the uterine, ovarian, and placental morphophysiology of domestic cats.

Inflammatory response to the ischaemia-reperfusion insult in the liver after major tissue trauma

BACKGROUND

Polytrauma is often accompanied by ischaemia-reperfusion injury to tissues and organs, and the resulting series of immune inflammatory reactions are a major cause of death in patients. The liver is one of the largest organs in the body, a characteristic that makes it the most vulnerable organ after multiple injuries. In addition, the liver is an important digestive organ that secretes a variety of inflammatory mediators involved in local as well as systemic immune inflammatory responses. Therefore, this review considers the main features of post-traumatic liver injury, focusing on the immuno-pathophysiological changes, the interactions between liver organs, and the principles of treatment deduced.

METHODS

We focus on the local as well as systemic immune response involving the liver after multiple injuries, with emphasis on the pathophysiological mechanisms.

RESULTS

An overview of the mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of local as well as systemic immune responses involving the liver after multiple injuries, the latest research findings, and the current mainstream therapeutic approaches.

CONCLUSION

Cross-reactivity between various organs and cascade amplification effects are among the main causes of systemic immune inflammatory responses after multiple injuries. For the time being, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this interaction remain unclear. Future work will continue to focus on identifying potential signalling pathways as well as target genes and intervening at the right time points to prevent more severe immune inflammatory responses and promote better and faster recovery of the patient.

Pyometra and estrous cycle modulate the uterine expression of the kisspeptin system and angiogenic and immune factors in cats

Failures in hypothalamic kisspeptin/Kiss1r signaling are associated with infertility, and in vitro studies have shown that kisspeptin can modulate angiogenesis and immune activity. Because there is no in vivo research on the functional relationship between these factors in the reproductive system, especially in domestic cats, we evaluated the expression profile of kisspeptin/Kiss1r and angiogenic and immunological mediators in the genital tract of cyclic cats and of those with pyometra. The uterus of cats in diestrus exhibited greater gene and protein expression of Kiss1, as well as Vegf, Pigf, Mif, and Il6. In contrast, Kiss1r presented greater expression in proestrus/estrus, similarly to that observed for the immunostaining of INFγ, MIF, TNFα, and IL10. These factors were positively correlated with Kiss1 and/or Kiss1r, and a positive correlation between Kiss1 and Kiss1r was also observed in the uterus of cats during the estrous cycle. Cats with pyometra showed greater immunostaining of Kiss1 and Kiss1r on the endometrial surface and reduced immunostaining of Kiss1 in deep glands, whereas there was a significant reduction in Vegf, Pigf, Mif, and Il6 mRNA, and an increase in Tnf mRNA. The findings reveal that there is a gene correlation between kisspeptin/Kiss1r and angiogenic and immune mediators in the uterus of the domestic cat, which is modulated by the estrous cycle, and that pyometra affects the expression of these mediators. This study suggests, for the first time, a functional relationship between the Kiss/Kiss1r system and angiogenic and immune mediators in the female genital tract.

Transcriptome, Spliceosome and Editome Expression Patterns of the Porcine Endometrium in Response to a Single Subclinical Dose of Salmonella Enteritidis Lipopolysaccharide

Endometrial infections at a young age can lead to fertility issues in adulthood. Bacterial endotoxins, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), can participate in long-term molecular changes even at low concentrations. Lipopolysaccharide plays a crucial role in the progression of septic shock, inflammation and auto-immune diseases. The aim of this study was to describe transcriptomic modulations in the porcine endometrium, induced in vivo by a single subclinical dose of LPS from Salmonella Enteritidis. which did not produce clinical symptoms of toxicity. The RNA-seq methodology was applied to reveal 456 differentially expressed regions, including 375 genes, four long noncoding RNAs, and 77 other unclassified transcripts. Two independent methods confirmed 118 alternatively spliced genes that participate i.a., in the formation of the MHC-I complex and the adaptive immune response. Single nucleotide variant-calling algorithms supported the identification of 3730 allele-specific expression variants and 57 canonical A-to-I RNA editing sites. The results demonstrated that the differential expression of genes involved in inflammation, immune response, angiogenesis and endometrial development may be maintained for up to 7 days after exposure to LPS. RNA editing sites and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in transcriptional regulatory machinery in the porcine endometrium in response to LPS administration.

Type of Inflammation Differentially Affects Expression of Interleukin 1β and 6, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Toll-Like Receptors in Subclinical Endometritis in Mares

Mares that fail to conceive or lose their embryos, without showing typical signs of clinical endometritis, should be suspected of subclinical endometritis (SE). In this study, the question was addressed: does SE fully activate selected mechanisms of innate immunity in mares? For this aim, expression of mRNAs for Toll-like Receptor 2 and 4 (TLR 2/4), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF) was examined in control mares versus either mares suffering from chronic endometritis (ChE) or subacute suppurative endometritis (SSE). The concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in supernatants from endometrial tissue cultures after 4 h incubation were measured using the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) method. Eighty-two warmblood mares, of known breeding history, were enrolled in this study. Based on histopathological assessment, mares were classified as suffering from ChE, SSE or as being healthy. In addition, immuno-localization of both TLR2 and TLR4 as well as TNF-α was investigated in the equine endometria. The mRNA expression of TLR2 (P < 0.01), IL-1β (P < 0.0001), IL-6 (P < 0.0001) and TLR4 and TNF (P < 0.05) was up-regulated in endometria of mares suffering from SSE compared with unaffected mares. Concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α were increased only in mares exhibiting SSE, compared with unaffected (P < 0.01 for both) and ChE mares (P < 0.05 for both). Immuno-localization of TNF-α and TLRs was confirmed, both in unaffected and SE-affected endometria, and was present in the luminal and glandular epithelia and stromal cells. The severity of inflammation impacts the immune response and fosters activation of innate immunity mechanisms, as observed in the endometria of mares. The intracellular localization of TLRs and TNF-α in the endometria indicates a key role of endometrial epithelial and stromal cells in the immune response and inflammation.

Comparison of the effect of lipopolysaccharide on tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) secretion and TNF and TNFR1 mRNA levels in feline endometrium throughout the estrous cycle during pyometra and after medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment

Endotoxins released by Gram-negative bacteria are potent stimulators of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) production. The objectives of this study were to evaluate plasma levels of TNF-α, TNF-α secretion, and mRNA levels of TNF and TNF-α receptor type 1 (TNFR1) following exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). For this, we used cultured endometrial cells or organ cultures, throughout the estrous cycle, after hormone treatment with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), and during pyometra. Plasma TNF-α concentrations were increased in animals at estrus (P < 0.05) compared to other groups. In the LPS-challenged endometrium, secretion of TNF-α by tissues collected during estrus increased (P < 0.001) compared to that of other groups. LPS, alone or combined with TNF-α, upregulated TNF gene expression in the feline endometrium at diestrus (P < 0.001 for both treatments), in queens treated short-term with MPA (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively) and in queens treated long-term with MPA (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). During pyometra, TNF and TNFR1 mRNA were increased only after tissues were challenged with TNF-α and LPS (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively). When cultured endometrial cells were challenged with LPS, the concentration of TNF-α increased only in epithelial cells after 4 h and 12 h (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Since LPS did not affect stromal cells, but TNF-α increased its own transcript after 2 h (P < 0.01), 4 h (P < 0.05) and 12 h (P < 0.001), we assume that stromal cells are not directly involved in pathogen recognition, as was the case for epithelial cells.

Prostaglandin release by cultured endometrial tissues after challenge with lipopolysaccharide and tumor necrosis factor α, in relation to the estrous cycle, treatment with medroxyprogesterone acetate, and pyometra

To better understand the pathogenesis of endometrial changes in cats associated with administration of progestagen contraceptives and with pyometra, we examined local variability of the prostaglandin synthesis system after challenge with either tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in organ cultures of endometrial tissues derived from cyclic cats, cats treated with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), or cats with pyometra, as well as in cultured endometrial epithelial and stromal cells. In addition, spontaneous prostaglandin secretion was compared in endometria from different experimental groups. Data gathered in the present study show that the concentration of PGE2 in supernatants was increased only in endometrial organ cultures from cats with pyometra (P < 0.001) compared with other groups. This was also true for PGF2α in pyometra, compared with cats treated either short- or long-term with MPA and cats during late diestrus (P < 0.001), anestrus (P < 0.01), and estrus and middiestrus (P < 0.05). Treatment with LPS and TNF-α combined stimulated PGE2 secretion in all groups compared with the control (P < 0.001 for endometria of cats during anestrus or middiestrus, cats treated short-term with MPA, and those with pyometra; P < 0.01 for endometria of cats treated long-term with MPA; and P < 0.05 for the endometria of cats during estrus and late diestrus). The combined treatment with LPS and TNF-α increased PGF2α secretion in the endometria of cats treated short-term with MPA (P < 0.001), during anestrus and pyometra (P < 0.01 for both), and estrus and middiestrus (P < 0.05 for both), compared with the control. Spontaneous secretion of prostaglandins was several times greater in the endometria of queens with pyometra, compared with other groups, which may further regulate the local inflammatory response. Data gathered from endometrial cell culture and endometrial organ culture lead to the conclusion that disturbances in prostaglandin release contribute to pyometra in cats.

Sirtuin 1 suppresses nuclear factor κB induced transactivation and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in cat fibroblast cells

Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is a key factor in the development of chronic inflammation and is deeply involved in age-related and metabolic diseases development. These diseases have become a serious problem in cats. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is associated with aging and metabolism through maintaining inflammation via NF-κB. In addition, fibroblasts are considered an important factor in the development of chronic inflammation. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effect of cat SIRT1 (cSIRT1) on NF-κB in cat fibroblast cells. The up-regulation of NF-κB transcriptional activity and pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression by p65 subunit of NF-κB and lipopolysaccharide was suppressed by cSIRT1 in cat fibroblast cells. Our findings show that cSIRT1 is involved in the suppression of inflammation in cat fibroblast cells.