PHYSIOLOGY AND ENDOCRINOLOGY SYMPOSIUM: Uterine infection: linking infection and innate immunity with infertility in the high-producing dairy cow

Uterine contamination with bacteria is ubiquitous in the postpartum dairy cow. Nearly one-half of all postpartum dairy cows develop clinical disease resulting in metritis and endometritis, which cause depressed milk production and infertility. The causative links between uterine infection and infert...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of animal science 2015-05, Vol.93 (5), p.2021-2033
Main Authors: Bromfield, J J, Santos, J E P, Block, J, Williams, R S, Sheldon, I M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Cattle
Cattle Diseases - immunology
Cattle Diseases - microbiology
Endometritis - complications
Endometritis - immunology
Endometritis - veterinary
Female
Immunity, Innate - immunology
Infertility, Female - etiology
Infertility, Female - immunology
Infertility, Female - veterinary
Postpartum Period - immunology
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Uterine contamination with bacteria is ubiquitous in the postpartum dairy cow. Nearly one-half of all postpartum dairy cows develop clinical disease resulting in metritis and endometritis, which cause depressed milk production and infertility. The causative links between uterine infection and infertility include a hostile uterine environment, disrupted endocrine signaling, and perturbations in ovarian function and oocyte development. In this review we consider the various mechanisms linking uterine infection with infertility in the dairy cow, specifically 1) innate immune signaling in the endometrium, 2) alteration in endocrine signaling in response to infectious agents, and 3) impacts of infection on ovarian function, oocyte development, and follicular development. Normal ovarian follicular and oocyte development requires a series of temporally and spatially orchestrated events; however, several of the cellular pathways required for ovarian function are also used during the innate immune response to bacterial pathogens. We propose that activation of cellular pathways during this immune response has a negative impact on ovarian physiology, which is manifest as infertility detected after the clearance of the bacteria. This review highlights how new insights into infection and immunity in cattle are linked to infertility.
ISSN:1525-3163
DOI:10.2527/jas.2014-8496