Marth Christina D, Firestone Simon M, Hanlon Dave, Glenton Lisa Y, Browning Glenn F, Young Neil D, Krekeler Natali
Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Corner Park Drive and Flemington Road, Parkville, Vic. 3010, Australia.
Matamata Veterinary Services, 26 Tainui Street, Matamata, New Zealand.
Reprod Fertil Dev. 2018 Mar;30(3):533-545. doi: 10.1071/RD17157.
Persistent mating-induced endometritis (PMIE) severely decreases fertility in horses. The aim of the present study was to evaluate differences between horses susceptible to PMIE and a control group in terms of the expression of selected immune response and effector genes, and the effects of oestrous cycle stage on this expression. Endometrial biopsies from 18 uterine samples of mares in the control group (eight in dioestrus, 10 in oestrus) and 16 PMIE-susceptible mares (four in dioestrus, 12 in oestrus) were analysed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Genes for pathogen recognition receptors Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and NLR family CARD domain containing 5 (NLRC5), as well as tissue-specific inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) 9, CXCL10 and CXCL11 and uteroferrin were expressed at similar levels in the control group and in susceptible mares. Genes for C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and the antimicrobial peptides secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), lipocalin 2 and lactoferrin were all expressed at higher levels in susceptible compared with control mares. The expression of genes for the antimicrobial peptides equine β-defensin 1 (EBD1), lysozyme (LYZ) and secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLPI) was also higher in susceptible than control mares. The diagnostic sensitivity of assays for EBD1, LYZ and SLP1 gene expression to detect susceptibility to PMIE was estimated to be 100%, 94% and 100% respectively, with specificities of 83%, 78% and 78% respectively. When all three tests were positive, the specificity increased to 94%, with an overall sensitivity of 94%. The present study has yielded insights into pathophysiological changes in mares susceptible to PMIE and identified robust diagnostic markers (EBD1, LYZ and SLPI) for susceptibility to this disease.
持续性交配诱导的子宫内膜炎（PMIE）严重降低了马匹的繁殖力。本研究的目的是评估易患PMIE的马匹与对照组在选定免疫反应和效应基因表达方面的差异，以及发情周期阶段对该表达的影响。通过定量实时逆转录-聚合酶链反应分析了对照组18匹母马子宫样本（8匹处于间情期，10匹处于发情期）和16匹易患PMIE母马（4匹处于间情期，12匹处于发情期）的子宫内膜活检样本。病原体识别受体Toll样受体2（TLR2）和含NLR家族CARD结构域5（NLRC5）的基因，以及金属蛋白酶组织抑制剂1（TIMP1）、C-X-C基序趋化因子配体（CXCL）9、CXCL10和CXCL11以及子宫铁蛋白在对照组和易感母马中的表达水平相似。与对照组母马相比，C-C基序趋化因子配体2（CCL2）以及抗菌肽分泌型磷脂酶A2（sPLA2）、脂质运载蛋白2和乳铁蛋白的基因在易感母马中的表达水平均较高。抗菌肽马β-防御素1（EBD1）、溶菌酶（LYZ）和分泌型白细胞蛋白酶抑制剂（SLPI）的基因在易感母马中的表达也高于对照组母马。EBD1、LYZ和SLP1基因表达检测对PMIE易感性的诊断敏感性估计分别为100%、94%和100%，特异性分别为83%、78%和78%。当所有三项检测均为阳性时，特异性提高到94%，总体敏感性为94%。本研究揭示了易患PMIE的母马的病理生理变化，并确定了该疾病易感性的可靠诊断标志物（EBD1、LYZ和SLPI）。
