Characterisation of pregnancy losses after embryo transfer by measuring plasma progesterone and bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-1 concentrations

The aim of this analysis was to determine whether pregnancy loss (PL) after embryo transfer (ET) in cattle was related to maternal progesterone (P4) concentrations during and shortly after ET, and maternal bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-1 (bPAG-1) concentrations in plasma at days 25-35 of gestation. Embryos (n=260) were produced either in vivo after superovulation (n=115), or in vitro from oocytes (obtained with ovum pick-up) in co-culture (n=44) or cultured in a synthetic medium (n=101). Overall, PL was 56.9% (148) and no significant differences occurred in calving rate among the three embryo production groups. There was no difference in P4 concentrations on days 7-14 of gestation in the three groups, nor between ongoing and interrupted pregnancies. Between days 25 and 35 of pregnancy, bPAG-1 concentrations were unaffected by embryo production, but in cattle that had PL between days 26 and 120, four bPAG-1 profiles could be detected. Between days 25 and 32, bPAG-1 concentrations were influenced by PL, and concentrations were significantly lower in animals in which PL occurred between days 26 and 120 than in those animals that aborted later or calved at term. Early P4 concentrations suggested that maternal luteal factors were not responsible for PL which appeared to be caused by impaired conceptus development (regardless of embryo type) as reflected by low maternal bPAG-1 concentrations prior to embryonic death.

Pregnancy associated glycoproteins in ruminants: inactive members of the aspartic proteinase family

The Pregnancy Associated Glycoproteins (PAGs) presented in this paper are largely expressed in the ruminant placenta. These proteins are classified as probably inactive members of the aspartic proteinase family. Pepsinogen, renin, cathepsin E & D and chymosine are typical members of this family, characterised by the presence of aspartic acids boarding the recognition sites. Secreted in the peripheral blood of the pregnant female from early pregnancy, these proteins can be used in serological tests for establishing different diagnoses. In the veterinary practice, these diagnoses are useful for both pregnancy confirmation and follow-up of trophoblastic function. The first aspect can help breeders in the management of reproduction, while the second one more specifically concerns clinicians and researchers wishing to establish a differential diagnosis of pathologic conditions affecting pregnancy.