The role of cathelicidin and interleukin in the inflammatory response after artificial insemination in mares

• Grant number: 11/05694-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2011
• End date: May 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Marco Antonio Alvarenga
• Grantee: Marco Antonio Alvarenga
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: João Pessoa Araújo Junior

Abstract

Endometritis is a condition that involves endometrial inflammation and results in sub-fertility in mares. It is necessary to be understood better the interactions between seminal plasma and endometrium and in this meaning to be developing new therapies to control this inflammatory reaction. Forty stallions will be used to verify and quantify the presence of cathelicidins in seminal plasma by ELISA test. After this process, will be identified two stallions that express the highest and lowest cathelicidins amount. The chemotactic action will be evaluated by intrauterine infusion of seminal plasma that has the highest and lowest cathelicidins concentration. Ten resistant and ten susceptible mares to post-breeding endometritis will be used during three consecutive and random estrous cycles. In the first and third cycles, will be held uterine infusion of seminal plasma previously selected. The inflammatory response will be measured by the difference in uterine expression of cathelicidins and interleukins, neutrophil migration and intra uterine fluid accumulation. The seminal plasma responsible for the most efficient inflammatory process resolution will be added to semen and twenty post-breeding endometritis mares will be inseminated at the first cycle without and the second cycle with seminal plasma. The embryo collection will be held on the eighth day after ovulation and the result will be considered positive when the embryo will be recovered. (AU)