Follicular structures of cows with Cystic Ovarian Disease present altered expression of cytokines.

STASSI, A.; GAREIS, N.; MARELLI, B.; MATILLER V.; LEIVA C.; REY F.; ORTEGA H.; BARAVALLE M. E.

ZYGOTE

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Lugar: Cambridge; Año: 2019

0967-1994

Ovulationis consideredaninflammatory, cytokine-mediatedevent.Cytokines,whichare recognized as growth factors with immunoregulatory properties, are involved inmany cellular processes at the ovarian level. In this sense, cytokines affect fertility and are involved in the development of different ovarian disorders such as bovine cystic ovarian disease (COD). Because it has been previously demonstrated that ovarian cells represent both sources and targets of cytokines, the aimof this study was to examine the expression of several cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-1RA, IL-1RI, IL-1RII, IL-4 and IL-8, in ovarian follicular structures fromcows with spontaneous COD. The protein expression of these cytokines was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, IL-1β, IL-4 and IL-8 concentrations in follicular fluid (FF) and serumwere determined by enzyme-linked immunosorb- ent assay (ELISA). In granulosa and theca cells, IL-1RI, IL-1RII, IL-1RA and IL-4 expression levels werehigher incystic follicles thaninthe control dominant follicles.The serumandFF concentrations of IL-1β and IL-4 showed no differences between groups, whereas IL-8 concentration was detected only in FF of cysts fromcowswithCOD.The FF and serumconcentrations of IL-1β and IL-8 showed no significant differences, whereas IL-4 concentration was higher in FF than in serum in both the control and COD groups. These results evidenced an altered expression of cytokines in ovaries of cows with COD that could contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease.