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Silva JCC, Caldeira MO, Moraes JGN, Sellmer Ramos I, Gull T, Ericsson AC, Poock SE, Spencer TE, Lucy MC. Metritis and the uterine disease microbiome are associated with long-term changes in the endometrium of dairy cows†. Biol Reprod 2024; 111:332-350. [PMID: 38704744 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioae067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Cows with metritis (uterine disease) during the first 1 to 2 weeks postpartum have lower pregnancy rates when inseminated later postpartum (typically >10 weeks). We hypothesized that metritis and the disease-associated uterine microbiome have a long-term effect on endometrial gene expression. Changes in gene expression may inform a mechanism through which disease lowers pregnancy rates. A total of 20 cows were enrolled at 1 to 2 weeks postpartum to either metritis (clinical disease; n = 10) or healthy (control; n = 10) groups and randomly assigned to be slaughtered at approximately 80 and 165 dpp (mid-lactation). The microbiome of the reproductive tract was sampled to confirm the presence of pathogens that are typical of metritis. In addition to the original clinical diagnosis, study cows were retrospectively assigned to uterine-disease and control groups based on the composition of their microbiome. There was no effect of early postpartum uterine disease on the uterine microbiome at mid-lactation (time of slaughter). Nonetheless, early postpartum metritis and the disease microbiome were associated with a large number of differentially-expressed genes at mid-lactation primarily in the caruncular compared with the inter-caruncular endometrium. Gene enrichment analysis identified oxidative phosphorylation as the primary pathway increased in caruncular endometrium of diseased cows whereas growth factor signaling pathways were reduced. The current study demonstrated that metritis and a uterine disease microbiome leave a sustained imprint on gene expression in the caruncular endometrium that may explain lower fertility in cows with postpartum uterine disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiane C C Silva
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Monica O Caldeira
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Joao G N Moraes
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Isabella Sellmer Ramos
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Tamara Gull
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Aaron C Ericsson
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Scott E Poock
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Thomas E Spencer
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Matthew C Lucy
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
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Miranda MH, Nader-Macías MEF. Pharmabiotic/phytobiotic formulas approach and their intravaginal effect on different parameters. Vet Res Commun 2024:10.1007/s11259-024-10450-9. [PMID: 38980588 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10450-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Postpartum reproductive infections in cows generate significant economic losses. The use of lactic acid bacteria in animal health is an alternative tool to avoid antibiotic therapy in the prevention/treatment of bovine reproductive infections. In previous studies, 6 lactic bacteria from bovine mammary glands and vagina with beneficial, safe and technological characteristics were selected, and included in probiotic/phytobiotic formulas (combined with Malva and Lapacho extracts). In this work, probiotic and phytobiotic formulations were designed and their long-term viability determined. They were administered intravaginally to 30 females pregnant bovine pre and postpartum. The modification of the native microbiota and permanence/colonization of cultivable bacteria was evaluated, and also the safety of the designed products through the application of nutritional, clinical, hematological and biochemical parameters. The microorganisms maintained their viability up to 9 months at refrigeration temperature. The number of cultivable bacteria showed different pattern: total aerobic mesophylls increased slightly in all experimental groups, while Enterobacteriaceae increased after delivery, except in beneficial acid lactic bacteria + vegetable extract cows. Control and vegetable extract females showed the highest numbers of Enterobacteriaceae at the end of the trial (30 days postpartum). The number of lactic acid bacteria increased significantly in all the groups between 15 days pre and postpartum. The different parameters evaluated demonstrate the safety and harmlessness of the designed formulas, without producing local and systemic adverse effects in the cows.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Hortencia Miranda
- Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos, CONICET. Chacabuco 145, San Miguel de Tucumán, CP4000, Tucumán, Argentina
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Alfattah MA, Correia CN, Browne JA, McGettigan PA, Pluta K, Carrington SD, MacHugh DE, Irwin JA. Transcriptomics analysis of the bovine endometrium during the perioestrus period. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301005. [PMID: 38547106 PMCID: PMC10977793 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
During the oestrous cycle, the bovine endometrium undergoes morphological and functional changes, which are regulated by alterations in the levels of oestrogen and progesterone and consequent changes in gene expression. To clarify these changes before and after oestrus, RNA-seq was used to profile the transcriptome of oestrus-synchronized beef heifers. Endometrial samples were collected from 29 animals, which were slaughtered in six groups beginning 12 h after the withdrawal of intravaginal progesterone releasing devices until seven days post-oestrus onset (luteal phase). The groups represented proestrus, early oestrus, metoestrus and early dioestrus (luteal phase). Changes in gene expression were estimated relative to gene expression at oestrus. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) was used to identify canonical pathways and functional processes of biological importance. A total of 5,845 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The lowest number of DEGs was observed at the 12 h post-oestrus time point, whereas the greatest number was observed at Day 7 post-oestrus onset (luteal phase). A total of 2,748 DEGs at this time point did not overlap with any other time points. Prior to oestrus, Neurological disease and Organismal injury and abnormalities appeared among the top IPA diseases and functions categories, with upregulation of genes involved in neurogenesis. Lipid metabolism was upregulated before oestrus and downregulated at 48h post-oestrus, at which point an upregulation of immune-related pathways was observed. In contrast, in the luteal phase the Lipid metabolism and Small molecule biochemistry pathways were upregulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed A. Alfattah
- UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carolina N. Correia
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - John A. Browne
- UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paul A. McGettigan
- UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Katarzyna Pluta
- UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stephen D. Carrington
- UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - David E. MacHugh
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jane A. Irwin
- UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
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Moore SG, Feehily C, Doyle RC, Buckley F, Lonergan P, Cotter PD, Butler ST. Associations between the postpartum uterine and vaginal microbiota and the subsequent development of purulent vaginal discharge vary with dairy cow breed and parity. J Dairy Sci 2023; 106:8133-8151. [PMID: 37641353 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-22720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to characterize the species composition and functional potential of the vaginal and uterine microbiota at 1 wk postpartum in dairy cows diagnosed with or without purulent vaginal discharge (PVD) at 3 wk postpartum. The hypothesis was that differences in the vaginal and uterine microbiota between cows diagnosed with (PVD+) or without (PVD-) PVD were dependent on parity and breed. Cytobrush samples of the vagina and uterus were collected at 1 wk postpartum from 36 Holstein-Friesian (7 primiparous and 29 multiparous) and 29 Jersey (10 primiparous and 19 multiparous) cows. Microbial DNA was isolated from each sample and processed for shotgun metagenomic sequencing. The odds of multiparous cows being diagnosed as PVD+ was less compared with primiparous cows (OR = 0.21). Neither the α-diversity nor β-diversity of the uterine and vaginal microbiota were associated with PVD but the β-diversity was different between breeds and between parities. In the vagina of primiparous cows, differences in the microbiota of PVD- and PVD+ cows were minor, but the microbiota of multiparous PVD+ cows had greater relative abundance of Fusobacterium necrophorum, Trueperella pyogenes, Porphyromonas levii, and greater functional potential for amino acid and protein synthesis, energy metabolism, and growth compared with PVD- cows. The uterus of primiparous PVD+ cows had lesser relative abundance of Bacteroides heparinolyticus compared with PVD- cows. In the uterine microbiota, differences included greater functional potential for cellulose biosynthesis and fucose catabolism in multiparous PVD+ cows compared with PVD- cows. In the uterine microbiota of primiparous PVD+ cows, the functional potential for gram-negative cell wall synthesis and for negative regulation of tumor necrosis factor signaling was lesser compared with multiparous PVD+ cows. In the vagina of Holstein-Friesian PVD+ cows, the relative abundance of Caviibacter abscessus was greater whereas in the vagina of Jersey PVD+ cows the relative abundance of Catenibacterium mitsuokai, Finegoldia magna, Klebsiella variicola, and Streptococcus anginosus was greater compared with PVD- cows. In the uterine microbiota of Holstein-Friesian cows, the functional potential for spermidine biosynthesis was reduced compared with PVD- cows. In summary, differences in the species composition and functional potential of the vaginal and uterine microbiota between PVD- and PVD+ cows were dependent on parity and breed. The findings suggest that alternative strategies may be required to treat PVD for different parities and breeds of dairy cow.
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Affiliation(s)
- S G Moore
- Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland P61 P302.
| | - C Feehily
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland P61 C996
| | - R C Doyle
- Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland P61 P302
| | - F Buckley
- Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland P61 P302
| | - P Lonergan
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland D04 N2E5
| | - P D Cotter
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland P61 C996
| | - S T Butler
- Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland P61 P302
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Ni J, Wang J, Zhao K, Chen Y, Xia S, Lai S. Vaginal Microbiome Dynamics of Cows in Different Parities. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2880. [PMID: 37760279 PMCID: PMC10525485 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
At present, there is still room for research on the relationship between the vaginal microbiome and the reproductive health of dairy cows. In this study, high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used to explore the differences of bacterial communities of dairy cows of different births, gain a deeper understanding of cow reproductive physiology, and maintain cow health. With the increase in parity, the number of vaginal flora decreased from 3511 to 469, but the number of species increased significantly, and Chao1 increased from 1226.41 ± 345.40 to 1467.76 ± 269.76. There was a significant difference in the number of vaginal microbiome functions between uncounted cows and calving cows. There was no significant difference in microbial diversity in calves. The relative abundance variation of vaginal microbiota in high-parity cows is less than that in low-parity cows. The amino acid metabolism of calves increased, the endocrine function of high-parity cows was enhanced, and the function of the vaginal microbiome increased after the first delivery, which gradually decreased with the increase in parity. This study also found that Methanobacteria and Caviibacter may be involved in amino acid metabolism and endocrine function, and they may play a key role in cow reproduction. This study provides an important theoretical basis for studying changes in vaginal microorganisms in dairy cows, improves the understanding of reproductive health and production performance, and provides a scientific basis for improving the reproductive management of dairy cows.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Songjia Lai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (J.N.); (J.W.); (K.Z.); (Y.C.); (S.X.)
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Becker AAMJ, Munden S, McCabe E, Hurley D, Fanning S, Chapwanya A, Butaye P. The Endometrial Microbiota—16S rRNA Gene Sequence Signatures in Healthy, Pregnant and Endometritis Dairy Cows. Vet Sci 2023; 10:vetsci10030215. [PMID: 36977254 PMCID: PMC10058826 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10030215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometritis is one of the most important causes of infertility in dairy cows, resulting in high economic losses in the dairy industry. Though the presence of a commensal uterine microbiota is now well established, the complex role of these bacteria in genital health, fertility, and susceptibility to uterine diseases remains unclear. In this study, we explore the endometrial microbiota through 16S rRNA gene profiling from cytobrush samples taken ex vivo from healthy, pregnant, and endometritis cows. There were no significant differences between healthy and pregnant cows, whose uterine microbiota were dominated by Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, Fusobacterium, Lactococcus and Bacteroides. Compared to pregnant and clinically healthy cows, the uterine bacterial community of endometritis cows was significantly decreased in species diversity (p < 0.05), reflecting uneven community composition in different patterns with either dominance of Escherichia-Shigella, Histophilus, Bacteroides and Porphyromonas or Actinobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne A. M. J. Becker
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Stacie Munden
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Evonne McCabe
- Science Center South, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin Belfield, D04 N2E5 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniel Hurley
- Science Center South, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin Belfield, D04 N2E5 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Séamus Fanning
- Science Center South, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin Belfield, D04 N2E5 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aspinas Chapwanya
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Patrick Butaye
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
- Correspondence:
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Role of Genital Tract Bacteria in Promoting Endometrial Health in Cattle. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10112238. [DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10112238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbiota regulate endometrial health in cattle. It is important to know what a ‘good’ microbiome is, in order to understand pathogeneses of uterine disease. Given that microbial influx into the genital tract of cows at calving is unavoidable, exploring the involvement of genital tract bacteria in promoting endometrial health is warranted. The dysbiosis of endometrial microbiota is associated with benign and malign uterine diseases. The present review discusses current knowledge about the altered endometrial microbiome and the implications of this modulation on endometrial inflammation, ovarian activity, fecundation, pregnancy, and postpartum complications. Intravaginal administration of symbiotic microbes in cattle is a realistic alternative to antibiotic and hormone therapy to treat uterine disease. Genital microbial diversity can be modeled by nutrition, as the energy balance would improve the growth of specific microbial populations. It may be that probiotics that alter the endometrial microbiome could provide viable alternatives to existing therapies for uterine disease in cattle.
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Pereira G, Guo Y, Silva E, Silva MF, Bevilacqua C, Charpigny G, Lopes-da-Costa L, Humblot P. Subclinical endometritis differentially affects the transcriptomic profiles of endometrial glandular, luminal, and stromal cells of postpartum dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 2022; 105:6125-6143. [DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-21811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Evaluation of Host Depletion and Extraction Methods for Shotgun Metagenomic Analysis of Bovine Vaginal Samples. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0041221. [PMID: 35404108 PMCID: PMC9045270 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00412-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproductive tract metagenome plays a significant role in the various reproductive system functions, including reproductive cycles, health, and fertility. One of the major challenges in bovine vaginal metagenome studies is host DNA contamination, which limits the sequencing capacity for metagenomic content and reduces the accuracy of untargeted shotgun metagenomic profiling. This is the first study comparing the effectiveness of different host depletion and DNA extraction methods for bovine vaginal metagenomic samples. The host depletion methods evaluated were slow centrifugation (Soft-spin), NEBNext Microbiome DNA Enrichment kit (NEBNext), and propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment, while the extraction methods were DNeasy Blood and Tissue extraction (DNeasy) and QIAamp DNA Microbiome extraction (QIAamp). Soft-spin and QIAamp were the most effective host depletion method and extraction methods, respectively, in reducing the number of cattle genomic content in bovine vaginal samples. The reduced host-to-microbe ratio in the extracted DNA increased the sequencing depth for microbial reads in untargeted shotgun sequencing. Bovine vaginal samples extracted with QIAamp presented taxonomical profiles which closely resembled the mock microbial composition, especially for the recovery of Gram-positive bacteria. Additionally, samples extracted with QIAamp presented extensive functional profiles with deep coverage. Overall, a combination of Soft-spin and QIAamp provided the most robust representation of the vaginal microbial community in cattle while minimizing host DNA contamination. IMPORTANCE In addition to the host tissue collected during the sampling process, bovine vaginal samples are saturated with large amounts of extracellular DNA and secreted proteins that are essential for physiological purposes, including the reproductive cycle and immune defense. Due to the high host-to-microbe genome ratio, which hampers the sequencing efficacy for metagenome samples and the recovery of the actual metagenomic profiles, bovine vaginal samples cannot benefit from the full potential of shotgun sequencing. This is the first investigation on the most effective host depletion and extraction methods for bovine vaginal metagenomic samples. This study demonstrated an effective combination of host depletion and extraction methods, which harvested higher percentages of 16S rRNA genes and microbial reads, which subsequently led to a taxonomical profile that resembled the actual community and a functional profile with deeper coverage. A representative metagenomic profile is essential for investigating the role of the bovine vaginal metagenome for both reproductive function and susceptibility to infections.
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Pereira G, Guo Y, Silva E, Bevilacqua C, Charpigny G, Lopes-da-Costa L, Humblot P. Progesterone differentially affects the transcriptomic profiles of cow endometrial cell types. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:82. [PMID: 35086476 PMCID: PMC8793221 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08323-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The endometrium is a heterogeneous tissue composed of luminal epithelial (LE), glandular epithelial (GE), and stromal cells (ST), experiencing progesterone regulated dynamic changes during the estrous cycle. In the cow, this regulation at the transcriptomic level was only evaluated in the whole tissue. This study describes specific gene expression in the three types of cells isolated from endometrial biopsies following laser capture microdissection and the transcriptome changes induced by progesterone in GE and ST cells. Results Endometrial LE, GE, and ST cells show specific transcriptomic profiles. Most of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to progesterone are cell type-specific (96%). Genes involved in cell cycle and nuclear division are under-expressed in the presence of progesterone in GE, highlighting the anti-proliferative action of progesterone in epithelial cells. Elevated progesterone concentrations are also associated with the under-expression of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) in GE and oxytocin receptor (OXTR) in GE and ST cells. In ST cells, transcription factors such as SOX17 and FOXA2, known to regulate uterine epithelial-stromal cross-talk conveying to endometrial receptivity, are over-expressed under progesterone influence. Conclusions The results from this study show that progesterone regulates endometrial function in a cell type-specific way, which is independent of the expression of its main receptor PGR. These novel insights into uterine physiology present the cell compartment as the physiological unit rather than the whole tissue. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08323-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Pereira
- CIISA-Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Yongzhi Guo
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, PO Box 7054, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elisabete Silva
- CIISA-Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Claudia Bevilacqua
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Gilles Charpigny
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Luís Lopes-da-Costa
- CIISA-Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Patrice Humblot
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, PO Box 7054, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
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De Carli S, Lopes CE, Breyer GM, Dias ME, Saggin BF, Muterle Varela AP, Mayer FQ, Siqueira FM. Cows' reproductive performances and parity order influences the cervicovaginal fungal community. Microb Pathog 2021; 162:105351. [PMID: 34890751 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.105351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Fungi have already been described as etiological agents of reproductive diseases such as endometritis and infertility in cows. However, few studies have been developed to elucidate the entire cervicovaginal fungal communities in cows. Therefore, our study aimed to characterize the fungal community present in the cervix of cows with different reproductive performances. Cervicovaginal mucus was collected from 36 Angus breed cows (1.5-12 years old) on a commercial beef cattle ranch. Twenty-one cows had a history of infertility in the year prior to the collection, showing early return to estrus. Ten cows were sampled at 60-70 days postpartum being considered fertile cows. Additionally, five non-sexually active heifers were employed as control group. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the predominant fungal phyla in the analyzed animals. Diversity metrics of the cervicovaginal fungal community revealed statistical differences in the composition of the fungal community among infertile cows, fertile cows and non-sexually active heifers. In addition, the cervicovaginal fungal microbiota had significative increased richness and evenness in nulliparous cows and non-sexually active heifers, while in multiparous cows a decreased richness and evenness of the fungal microbiota were identified. These results provide an unprecedented understanding of the cervicovaginal fungal structure associated with infertility and parity order.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia De Carli
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Cassiane Elisabete Lopes
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Merker Breyer
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Maria Eduarda Dias
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Bianca Fagundes Saggin
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Muterle Varela
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Fundação Estadual de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Eldorado Do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Fabiana Quoos Mayer
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Fundação Estadual de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Eldorado Do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Franciele Maboni Siqueira
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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12
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Edelhoff INF, Pereira MHC, Bromfield JJ, Vasconcelos JLM, Santos JEP. Inflammatory diseases in dairy cows: Risk factors and associations with pregnancy after embryo transfer. J Dairy Sci 2020; 103:11970-11987. [PMID: 33010915 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-19070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The objectives of the present prospective cohort study were to identify risk factors for inflammatory diseases in Holstein-Gyr crossbred dairy cows and characterize the associations of those diseases with pregnancy per embryo transfer (ET). Diseases were diagnosed in the first 60 d postpartum in 252 primiparous and 481 multiparous cows. Uterine diseases (UTD) included retained placenta, metritis, clinical endometritis, and subclinical endometritis. Nonuterine diseases (NUTD) included mastitis, lameness, pneumonia, and displaced abomasum. Blood was sampled on d 0, 1, and 2 postpartum and analyzed for concentrations of haptoglobin, fatty acids, total Ca (tCa), P, and Mg, and again on d 8 postpartum and analyzed for concentration of β-hydroxybutyrate. The association between concentrations of metabolites in serum and inflammatory diseases was determined. Cows received a timed ET program starting 28 ± 3 d postpartum with first ET at 46 ± 3 d postpartum using fresh in vitro-produced embryos. Pregnancy was diagnosed on d 31 and 59 of presumptive gestation. Overall, 63.3% of the cows were diagnosed with UTD and 20.6% with NUTD. The risk factors for UTD included season of calving, parity group, calving problems, days with subclinical hypocalcemia, and serum concentrations of haptoglobin and Mg, whereas the risk factors for NUTD were parity group and serum Mg concentration. Cows that developed UTD had increased concentrations of haptoglobin on d 2 and fatty acids on d 1 and 2, and reduced concentrations of tCa on d 1 and 2 and of P and Mg on d 2 postpartum compared with cows without UTD. Cows that developed NUTD had increased concentrations of fatty acids on d 0 to 2 postpartum, and decreased concentrations of tCa and P on d 0 and 1, and of Mg on d 1 and 2 postpartum compared with cows without NUTD. Cows that developed NUTD had a 340-kg reduction in milk yield in the first 60 d postpartum. Inflammatory diseases were associated with lesser body condition score and increased loss of body condition in the first 70 d postpartum. Maintenance of pregnancy after ET was reduced in UTD cows following the first (41.7 vs. 25.4%) or all ET (46.4 vs. 36.2%), whereas maintenance of pregnancy was reduced in NUTD cows only at the second ET (39.0 vs 25.9%). The reduced pregnancy maintenance in UTD cows combined with a reduced 21-d service rate (61.9 vs. 54.8%) decreased the 21-d cycle pregnancy rate (28.6 vs. 19.9%) and the hazard of pregnancy to 300 d postpartum by 35%, resulting in an extra 32 d open. In conclusion, inflammatory diseases depressed fertility in dairy cows receiving ET, with the greatest impact observed in UTD cows. This suggests that local inflammation of the uterus impairs maintenance of pregnancy in dairy cows following ET.
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Affiliation(s)
- I N F Edelhoff
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611; Department of Animal Production, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil 18168
| | - M H C Pereira
- Department of Animal Production, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil 18168
| | - J J Bromfield
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611; DH Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611
| | - J L M Vasconcelos
- Department of Animal Production, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil 18168
| | - J E P Santos
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611; DH Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611.
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13
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de Lima FS. Recent advances and future directions for uterine diseases diagnosis, pathogenesis, and management in dairy cows. Anim Reprod 2020; 17:e20200063. [PMID: 33029222 PMCID: PMC7534574 DOI: 10.1590/1984-3143-ar2020-0063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers, veterinarians, and farmers' pursuit of a consistent diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of uterine diseases remains challenging. The diagnosis and treatment of metritis is inconsistent, a concerning situation when considered the global threat of antimicrobial resistance dissemination. Endometritis is an insidious disease absent on routine health programs in many dairy farms and from pharmaceutical therapeutics arsenal in places like the US market. Conversely, a multitude of studies advanced the understanding of how uterine diseases compromise oocyte, follicle, and embryo development, and the uterine environment having long-lasting effects on fertility. The field of uterine disease microbiome also experienced tremendous progress and created opportunities for the development of novel preventives to improve the management of uterine diseases. Activity monitors, biomarkers, genomic selection, and machine learning predictive models are other innovative developments that have been explored in recent years to help mitigate the negative impacts of uterine diseases. Albeit novel tools such as vaccines for metritis, immune modulators, probiotics, genomic selection, and selective antimicrobial therapy are promising, further research is warranted to implement these technologies in a systematic and cost-effective manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Soares de Lima
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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14
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Growth of the conceptus from days 33 to 45 of pregnancy is similar for heifers and lactating cows and not associated with circulating glucose, insulin, IGF1 or progesterone concentrations. Anim Reprod Sci 2020; 216:106463. [PMID: 32414466 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2020.106463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Less than optimal circulating progesterone as well as glucose, insulin, and IGF1 concentrations in lactating cows may contribute to embryonic loss if placental development is dependent on concentrations of these hormones. There was comparison of fetal growth in lactating dairy cows with a contemporary group of nulliparous heifers (negative control for lactation). There was also assessment of the association between conceptus development and circulating hormone and metabolite concentrations and the response to an intravenous glucose administration. The embryo and amniotic vesicle were measured every 2-3 days during a 2-week period (days 33-45 of pregnancy). Blood samples were collected at the time of ultrasonography and analyzed for glucose, insulin, IGF1, and progesterone. There was also an intravenous glucose administration. Lactating cows had lesser blood concentrations of glucose, progesterone, and IGF1 during pregnancy. With respect to glucose administration, cows had lesser insulin and glucose than heifers at time 0 but heifers released three-fold more insulin than cows in response to glucose infusion. Cows had slightly larger fetuses when compared with heifers. When included in the model for embryo or amniotic vesicle length or area, concentrations of circulating glucose, insulin, IGF1, or progesterone did not explain a large amount of variation in values for these variables (P > 0.10). The conclusion was that cows differed from heifers for fetal growth but concentrations of circulating metabolites were not associated with size of the fetus. There was no evidence for an association between the hormonal or metabolic milieu and conceptus development.
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