Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Endometritis is a major cause of subfertility in mares. Multiparous old mares are more susceptible to developing endometritis given that ageing is associated with an altered immune response and with inadequate physiological uterine clearance after breeding, which can lead to degenerative changes in the endometrium. Molecules such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been proposed as endometritis markers in the equine species.
METHODS: Cross-sectional.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the endometrial expression of defensin-beta 4B (DEFB4B), lysozyme (LYZ) and secretory leukocyte peptidase inhibitor (SLPI) genes in mares either affected or not by subclinical endometritis, due to the role of these AMPs in the immune response to bacteria and inflammatory reactions.
METHODS: Endometrial biopsy for histopathological and gene expression examinations was performed on 26 mares. The inclusion criteria for the normal mare group (NM, N = 7) were 2-4 years of age, maiden status, no clinical signs of endometritis and a uterine biopsy score of I, while for mares affected by subclinical endometritis (EM, N = 19) the inclusion criteria were 10-22 years of age, barren status for 1-3 years, no clinical signs of endometritis and a uterine biopsy score between IIA and III.
RESULTS: A significantly higher expression of LYZ (NM: 0.76 [1.84-0.37] vs. EM: 2.78 [5.53-1.44], p = 0.0255) and DEFB4B (NM: 0.06 [0.11-0.01] vs. EM: 0.15 [0.99-0.08], p = 0.0457) genes was found in endometritis mares versus normal mares. Statistically significant moderate positive correlations were found between the level of expression of LYZ gene and both the age (r = 0.4071, p = 0.039) and the biopsy grade (r = 0.4831, p = 0.0124) of the mares.
CONCLUSIONS: The study investigated a limited number of genes and mares, and the presence/location of the proteins coded by these genes was not confirmed within the endometrium by IHC.
CONCLUSIONS: If the results of this study are confirmed, LYZ and DEFB4B genes can be used as markers to identify mares that are affected by subclinical endometritis.
METHODS: Cross-sectional.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the endometrial expression of defensin-beta 4B (DEFB4B), lysozyme (LYZ) and secretory leukocyte peptidase inhibitor (SLPI) genes in mares either affected or not by subclinical endometritis, due to the role of these AMPs in the immune response to bacteria and inflammatory reactions.
METHODS: Endometrial biopsy for histopathological and gene expression examinations was performed on 26 mares. The inclusion criteria for the normal mare group (NM, N = 7) were 2-4 years of age, maiden status, no clinical signs of endometritis and a uterine biopsy score of I, while for mares affected by subclinical endometritis (EM, N = 19) the inclusion criteria were 10-22 years of age, barren status for 1-3 years, no clinical signs of endometritis and a uterine biopsy score between IIA and III.
RESULTS: A significantly higher expression of LYZ (NM: 0.76 [1.84-0.37] vs. EM: 2.78 [5.53-1.44], p = 0.0255) and DEFB4B (NM: 0.06 [0.11-0.01] vs. EM: 0.15 [0.99-0.08], p = 0.0457) genes was found in endometritis mares versus normal mares. Statistically significant moderate positive correlations were found between the level of expression of LYZ gene and both the age (r = 0.4071, p = 0.039) and the biopsy grade (r = 0.4831, p = 0.0124) of the mares.
CONCLUSIONS: The study investigated a limited number of genes and mares, and the presence/location of the proteins coded by these genes was not confirmed within the endometrium by IHC.
CONCLUSIONS: If the results of this study are confirmed, LYZ and DEFB4B genes can be used as markers to identify mares that are affected by subclinical endometritis.
摘要：
背景：子宫内膜炎是母马不孕的主要原因。多胎老母马更容易发生子宫内膜炎，因为衰老与免疫反应改变和繁殖后生理子宫间隙不足有关。这可能导致子宫内膜的退行性变化。已经提出诸如抗微生物肽(AMP)的分子作为马物种中的子宫内膜炎标志物。
方法：横断面。
目的：研究子宫内膜防御素-β4B（DEFB4B）的表达，母马中的溶菌酶（LYZ）和分泌性白细胞肽酶抑制剂（SLPI）基因受或不受亚临床子宫内膜炎的影响，由于这些AMP在对细菌的免疫反应和炎症反应中的作用。
方法：对26只母马行子宫内膜活检组织病理学和基因表达检查。正常母马组的纳入标准(NM，N=7）年龄为2-4岁，处女身份,没有子宫内膜炎的临床体征和子宫活检评分为I，而对于受亚临床子宫内膜炎影响的母马(EM，N=19)纳入标准为10-22岁，1-3年的贫瘠状态，没有子宫内膜炎的临床症状，子宫活检评分在IIA和III之间。
结果：LYZ的表达显着升高（NM：0.76[1.84-0.37]vs.EM:2.78[5.53-1.44],p=0.0255）和DEFB4B（NM：0.06[0.11-0.01]vs.EM:0.15[0.99-0.08],p=0.0457）基因在子宫内膜炎母马与正常母马中发现。LYZ基因的表达水平与年龄（r=0.4071，p=0.039）和活检分级（r=0.4831，p=0.0124）之间具有统计学意义的中度正相关。
结论：这项研究调查了有限数量的基因和母马，并且这些基因编码的蛋白质的存在/位置未通过IHC在子宫内膜内确认。
结论：如果本研究的结果得到证实，LYZ和DEFB4B基因可用作标记以鉴定受亚临床子宫内膜炎影响的母马。
方法：横断面。
目的：研究子宫内膜防御素-β4B（DEFB4B）的表达，母马中的溶菌酶（LYZ）和分泌性白细胞肽酶抑制剂（SLPI）基因受或不受亚临床子宫内膜炎的影响，由于这些AMP在对细菌的免疫反应和炎症反应中的作用。
方法：对26只母马行子宫内膜活检组织病理学和基因表达检查。正常母马组的纳入标准(NM，N=7）年龄为2-4岁，处女身份,没有子宫内膜炎的临床体征和子宫活检评分为I，而对于受亚临床子宫内膜炎影响的母马(EM，N=19)纳入标准为10-22岁，1-3年的贫瘠状态，没有子宫内膜炎的临床症状，子宫活检评分在IIA和III之间。
结果：LYZ的表达显着升高（NM：0.76[1.84-0.37]vs.EM:2.78[5.53-1.44],p=0.0255）和DEFB4B（NM：0.06[0.11-0.01]vs.EM:0.15[0.99-0.08],p=0.0457）基因在子宫内膜炎母马与正常母马中发现。LYZ基因的表达水平与年龄（r=0.4071，p=0.039）和活检分级（r=0.4831，p=0.0124）之间具有统计学意义的中度正相关。
结论：这项研究调查了有限数量的基因和母马，并且这些基因编码的蛋白质的存在/位置未通过IHC在子宫内膜内确认。
结论：如果本研究的结果得到证实，LYZ和DEFB4B基因可用作标记以鉴定受亚临床子宫内膜炎影响的母马。
