Endometritis affects chemical coding of the dorsal root ganglia neurons supplying uterus in the sexually mature gilts.

This study reports on the influence of experimentally-induced uterine inflammation on chemical phenotypes, number and distribution of neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) innervating the uterus in sexually mature gilts. On day 17 of the first studied estrous cycle, the uterine horns were injected with retrograde tracer Fast Blue (FB). After 28 days (on an expected day 3 of third studied estrous cycle), 50 ml of either saline (group SAL) or Escherichia coli (E. coli) suspension (109 colony-forming units/ml, group E. coli) were injected into each uterine horn. In the control pigs (group CON), only laparotomy was performed. Eight days later DRGs and uteri were collected. All infected gilts developed severe form of acute endometritis. By use of double immunofluorescence labelling the numbers of uterine perikarya expressing substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), neurokinin A (NKA), galanin (GAL) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) were analyzed. Injection of E. coli decreased the total number of the FB positive perykaria in the Th10-S4 DRGs. We revealed an increase in the populations of uterine perikarya coded SP+/CGRP-, SP+/NKA-, SP-/NKA+, SP+/GAL+, SP+/GAL-, SP-/GAL+, SP+/PACAP+ and SP-/PACAP+. Our results suggest that uterine inflammation affects both the spatial and neurochemical organization pattern of uterine sensory innervation. Additionally, the inflammation may affect the transmission of sensory information from uterus to spinal cord.

Long-term treatment with testosterone alters ovary innervation in adult pigs.

BACKGROUND: Intraovarian distribution and density of nerve fibres immunoreactive (IR) to protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) and containing dopamine-ß-hydroxylase (DßH), neuropeptide Y (NPY), somatostatin (SOM), galanin (GAL) were determined. METHODS: From day 4 of the first oestrous cycle to day 20 of the second studied cycle, experimental gilts (n = 3) were injected with testosterone (T), while control gilts (n = 3) received corn oil. RESULTS: After T administration the numbers of fibres IR to PGP 9.5 and fibres IR to DßH, NPY and SOM were decreased. Fewer PGP 9.5- and DßH-IR terminals were observed within the ground plexus and around arteries and medullar veins, and medium tertiary follicles, and DßH-IR terminals in the vicinity of small tertiary follicles. T decreased the density of NPY-IR fibres in the medullar part of the ground plexus, and SOM-IR in the cortical part of the ground plexus. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained data show that long-term T treatment of gilts decreases the total number of intraovarian fibres, including sympathetic ones. These results suggest that elevated T levels that occur during pathological states may affect the innervation pattern of ovaries, and their function(s).