Zampini Enzo G, Gallelli María F, Chaves María G, Neild Deborah M, Gambarotta Mariana, Miragaya Marcelo H, Trasorras Virginia L
Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias (FCV), Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal, Cátedra de Teriogenología, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Front Vet Sci. 2020 Nov 17;7:597960. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.597960. eCollection 2020.
The aim of this study was to assess the uterine blood flow (UBF) and corpus luteum blood flow (CLBF) in llamas 8 days post-mating, using color-Doppler ultrasonography (CDU), to determine the possible relationship between vascularization and the presence of an embryo. Adult females ( = 25) were used to monitor ovarian dynamics by palpation and transrectal ultrasonography until detection of a ≥6 mm growing follicle. Females were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group I ( = 19), were mated and ovulation was induced by a single dose of buserelin (GnRH analog) that same day (Day 0); and Group II ( = 6), only ovulation was induced (control). On Day 8, UBF and CLBF were evaluated transrectally in both groups. The color-flow images obtained were analyzed with Image J1.52a software to determine the vascularization area and the percentage of corpus luteum with blood flow emission (CLBF%) together with the percentage for each uterine horn (UBF%). Statistical analysis was performed using an ANOVA test. In Group I, uterine flushing was performed to obtain the embryos, thus dividing the females into Group I+ ( = 10), when an embryo was recovered and Group I- ( = 9), when no embryo was recovered. Embryo recovery rate was 52.63% (10/19). In Group I+, UBF% was significantly higher compared to Group I- and Group II ( <0.05). UBF appears to be a good predictor for embryo presence, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9 and an optimal cut-off value of 9.37% (with a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 88.9%). The CLBF% did not differ between groups ( > 0.05). In conclusion, it is possible to detect a local increase of UBF in the presence of an embryo on day 8 post-mating in llamas. This could be useful to achieve an early pregnancy diagnosis or to decide whether to carry out the uterine flushing in a llama embryo transfer program.
本研究的目的是在交配后8天，使用彩色多普勒超声（CDU）评估美洲驼的子宫血流量（UBF）和黄体血流量（CLBF），以确定血管形成与胚胎存在之间的可能关系。成年雌性（n = 25）通过触诊和经直肠超声监测卵巢动态，直至检测到一个≥6 mm的生长卵泡。雌性被随机分为两组之一：第一组（n = 19），进行交配，并在同一天（第0天）通过单剂量布舍瑞林（GnRH类似物）诱导排卵；第二组（n = 6），仅诱导排卵（对照组）。在第8天，经直肠评估两组的UBF和CLBF。使用Image J1.52a软件分析获得的彩色血流图像，以确定血管化区域、有血流发射的黄体百分比（CLBF%）以及每个子宫角的百分比（UBF%）。使用方差分析进行统计分析。在第一组中，进行子宫冲洗以获取胚胎，因此将雌性分为I +组（n = 10），即回收胚胎时和I -组（n = 9），即未回收胚胎时。胚胎回收率为52.63%（10/19）。在I +组中，UBF%显著高于I -组和第二组（P <0.05）。UBF似乎是胚胎存在的良好预测指标，曲线下面积（AUC）为0.9，最佳截断值为9.37%（敏感性为90%，特异性为88.9%）。各组之间的CLBF%没有差异（P> 0.05）。总之，在美洲驼交配后第8天存在胚胎时，可以检测到子宫血流量的局部增加。这对于实现早期妊娠诊断或决定是否在美洲驼胚胎移植程序中进行子宫冲洗可能是有用的。
