ABSTRACT
Equine endometriosis is a multifactorial disease considered to be a major cause of equine infertility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of histomorphological grading for biopsy-like samples compared to entire uterine wall samples, to examine the association between the degree of endometriosis with animal age, and to investigate the role of inflammation in endometriosis and the expression of different matrix metalloproteinases in equine endometrium. Histomorphological lesions in 35 uterine samples were examined while comparing biopsy-like samples and entire-wall samples. Seventeen uterine samples were stained with antibodies against MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-14, and TIMP-2. The morphologic evaluation results of the biopsy-like tissue and entire-wall samples were significantly correlated. Endometriosis in older mares (>12 years of age) was more severe than in young mares (2~4 years of age), confirming the positive correlation between animal age and disease severity, while inflammation was poorly related to the degree of endometriosis. MMP-2 and MMP-14 were detected in stromal cells, while MMP-9 and TIMP-2 were both found in stromal and glandular epithelial cells. There were no significant differences in MMPs expression between the two groups (young vs. old mares). Additional studies on the activity of MMPs could further define the role of these enzymes in equine endometriosis.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Endometriosis/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic/physiology , Horse Diseases/metabolism , Horses , Immunohistochemistry/veterinary , Inflammation/pathology , Matrix Metalloproteinases/genetics , Uterus/metabolismABSTRACT
Os exames clínicos, macroscópico e histopatológico post-mortem e de biópsia uterina revelaram em vinte e uma fêmea bovinas de corte descartadas após a terceira Inseminação Artificial que a principal causa de infertilidade fol a infecção uterina. Outras condições associadas ao complexo metrite/endometrite, tais como cisto folicular, hipoplasia ovariana, corpo lúteo cístico e cérvix sinuosa também foram observados. Houve correspondência entre todos os métodos de diagnóstico empregados. O exame clínico dos animais permitiu diagnosticar 76,19% das causas de infertilidade e 71,42% dos casos de infecção uterina, enquanto o exame macroscópico post-mortem demonstrou 95,23% dessas causas. Por outro lado, a biópsia uterina demonstrou a mesma acurácia para o diagnóstico de infecção uterina demonstrada no exame histopatológico post-mortem.
Twenty-one non-pregnant beef cows after third insemination were submitted to clinicai examination of the reproductive tract, including collection of samples for uterina biopsy. Twenty-four hours later they were slaughtered and macroscopic and microscopic examinations of the genital tract were performed. Uterina infections proved to be the major cause of infertility, also associated to others disturbances, such as cystic ovarian disease, ovarian hypoplasia, cystic corpus luteum and sinuosity of the cervix presented in minar cases. Diagnose obtained through rectal palpation of the genital tract, uterina biopsy and post-mortem histopathologyc showed good conformity. Through rectal palpation accurately diagnosed 71,42% of the cows with uterina ifection and 76,19% of ali abnormalities. The post-mortem macroscopic examination of the genital tract found out 95,23% of the pathologic changes presented. Every samples obtained by uterina biopsy showed to uterina infections, which were later confirmed by the post-mortem histopathologic examination. In conclusion, the main cause of infertility in this group of cows was uterina infections.