Gonzalez Moreno Candelaria, Funiciello-Mendez Solana, Torres Luque Andrea, Fayek Pavly, Chapwanya Aspinas, Otero María C
Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas, CONICET-UNT, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
Instituto de Biología "Dr. Francisco D. Barbieri", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
Am J Vet Res. 2025 Jun 17:1-10. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.25.03.0093.
To evaluate the effects of an estrus synchronization program on the resident microbial population of the vagina in Braford heifers.
Nulliparous Braford heifers were enrolled in a 9-day progesterone-controlled internal drug release-based estrous synchronization protocol. Vaginal swabs were collected on day (D) 0 and D11 of the synchronization protocol and again on D60 to profile changes in vaginal bacterial communities though 16S ribosomal DNA gene sequencing.
Analysis of samples from 10 heifers revealed that the most abundant phyla were the Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Tenericutes, Fusobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Principal coordinate analysis showed significant differentiation among the vaginal profiles of the microbial communities at D11 compared to D0 and D60. The bacterial clustering may be due to estrous synchronization. Significant differences were observed at the genus level. The relative abundances of known endometrial pathogens Fusobacterium, Helcococcus, Ureaplasma, and Leptotrichiaceae significantly increased from D0 to D11.
This study describes, for the first time, transient changes in the diversity of the vaginal microbiota of Braford heifers in response to estrus manipulations. The presence (or absence) of certain recognized pathogens, such as Fusobacterium, Helcococcus, and Ureaplasma, may negatively affect reproductive health, justifying further investigation.
These results may help in advances of the diagnosis and treatment of infertility.
评估发情同步程序对布拉福德小母牛阴道常驻微生物群的影响。
未产的布拉福德小母牛参与了一项基于孕酮控制的阴道内药物缓释的9天发情同步方案。在同步方案的第0天（D0）和第11天（D11）采集阴道拭子，并在第60天（D60）再次采集，通过16S核糖体DNA基因测序分析阴道细菌群落的变化。
对10头小母牛的样本分析显示，最丰富的菌门为变形菌门、厚壁菌门、拟杆菌门、柔膜菌门、梭杆菌门和放线菌门。主坐标分析表明，与D0和D60相比，D11时微生物群落的阴道图谱存在显著差异。细菌聚类可能是由于发情同步所致。在属水平上观察到显著差异。从D0到D11，已知的子宫内膜病原体梭杆菌属、溶血球菌属、脲原体属和纤毛菌科的相对丰度显著增加。
本研究首次描述了布拉福德小母牛阴道微生物群多样性因发情操作而发生的短暂变化。某些公认病原体（如梭杆菌属、溶血球菌属和脲原体属）的存在（或不存在）可能对生殖健康产生负面影响，值得进一步研究。
这些结果可能有助于不孕症诊断和治疗的进展。
