Changes in prostaglandin production and ovarian function in gilts during endometritis induced by Escherichia coli infection

• Published in: Animal reproduction science 2007, Vol.97 (1), p.137-150
• Main Authors: Jana, Barbara, Kucharski, Jan, Dzienis, Anna, Deptuła, Katarzyna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; biomarkers; blood plasma; Colony Count, Microbial - veterinary; corpus luteum; Dinoprost - analogs & derivatives; Dinoprost - biosynthesis; Dinoprost - blood; disease severity; Endometritis; Endometritis - blood; Endometritis - physiopathology; Endometritis - veterinary; epidemiological studies; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections - blood; Escherichia coli Infections - physiopathology; Escherichia coli Infections - veterinary; Escherichia infections; estrous cycle; etiology; Female; Gilt; gilts; histopathology; hormone secretion; inflammation; Ovarian function; ovaries; Ovary - physiology; Ovary - secretion; physiological response; Prostaglandin; prostaglandins; Random Allocation; Swine; swine diseases; Swine Diseases - blood; Swine Diseases - physiopathology; uterine tissue
• ISSN: 0378-4320; 1873-2232
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2006.01.002

The aim of this study was to determine the prostaglandins (PGs) production and ovarian function in gilts after intrauterine infusions of 10 6 and 10 9 colony-forming units (cfu)/ml of Escherichia coli ( E. coli). In Experiments 1 and 2, 30 ml of saline or 30 ml of E. coli suspension containing 10 6 or 10 9 cfu/ml, were infused once into each uterine horn in three groups of gilts on day 3 of the estrous cycle, respectively. In Experiment 1, 17 days after treatment it was revealed that inoculation of E. coli 10 9 cfu/ml induced severe acute or subacute endometritis while 10 6 cfu of E. coli evoked moderate acute endometritis or resulted in no inflammatory changes. In the gilts receiving 10 9 cfu/ml of E. coli, the concentration of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2α in blood from the jugular vein was elevated ( P < 0.05–0.001) compared to concentration in the gilts inoculated with 10 6 cfu on days 8–17 after treatment. Both the E. coli-treated groups had a lower ( P < 0.05, P < 0.01) progesterone plasma level from days 10 to 14 after administration than the control group. On day 17 of the study, infusion of E. coli 10 9 cfu/ml, in comparison to 10 6 cfu, resulted in the greater ( P < 0.001) content of PGE 2 in the myometrium. The content of both PGs in the endometrium as well as PGF 2α in the myometrium of gilts-treated with 10 9 cfu/ml of E. coli was lower ( P < 0.001) than in gilts-treated with 10 6 cfu of bacteria. Newly formed corpora lutea were found in the gilts infused with 10 6, but not those infused with 10 9 cfu/ml of E. coli on day 17 after infusion. On day 8 of the study (Experiment 2), the blood from utero-ovarian vein of the gilts-treated with 10 9 cfu/ml of bacteria had a higher ( P < 0.05) PGF 2α level and lower ( P < 0.001) PGE 2 level than following infusion of E. coli 10 6 cfu/ml. Also on day 8 of the study, the content of PGE 2 in the endometrium, both the PGs in the myometrium as well as cyclooxygenase-2 in the endometrium and myometrium was greater ( P < 0.01, P < 0.001) after applying 10 9 cfu/ml than 10 6 cfu/ml of E. coli. These results indicate that intrauterine infusions of 10 6 or 10 9 cfu/ml of E. coli lead to the development of inflammatory states of different intensities which is connected with different PGF 2α and PGE 2 production and function of ovaries.