Altered expression of IL-1β, IL-1RI, IL-1RII, IL-1RA and IL-4 could contribute to anovulation and follicular persistence in cattle

STASSI, A.F.; BARAVALLE, M.E.; BELOTTI, E.M.; AMWEG, A.N.; ANGELI, E.; VELÁZQUEZ, M.M.L.; REY, F.; SALVETTI, N.R.; ORTEGA, H.H.

THERIOGENOLOGY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

Año: 2018 vol. 110 p. 61 - 73

0093-691X

Cystic ovarian disease (COD) is an important cause of infertility in dairy cattle. The main signs of thisinfertility are ovulation failure and follicular persistence. The aim of this study was to examine theexpression of the cytokines IL-1b, IL-1RI, IL-1RII, IL-1RA and IL-4 in ovarian follicular structures atdifferent times of persistence in a model of follicular persistence induced by prolonged administration ofprogesterone in dairy cows. Protein expression of IL-1b, IL-1RI, IL-1RII, IL-1RA and IL-4 was evaluated byimmunohistochemistry. Additionally, IL-1b and IL-4 concentrations in follicular fluid and serum weredetermined by ELISA. In granulosa cells, IL1-RII and IL-4 expression was higher in follicles with differentpersistence times than in the control dominant follicles. IL-1RA expression was higher in persistentfollicles of the P15 group (15 days of follicular persistence) than in those of the control group. In thecacells, IL-1RII expression was higher in persistent follicles of the P0 group (expected time of ovulation)than in dominant follicles from the control group (p < .05) and the other persistence groups, whereas IL-4 expression was higher in persistent follicles of groups P0 and P15 than in the dominant follicles of thecontrol group (p < .05). Differences between serum and follicular fluid within each group were detectedonly in P0 for IL-1b, and in the control, P10 and P15 groups for IL-4 (p < .05). These results complementprevious results, evidencing that early development of COD in cows is concurrent with an alteredexpression of cytokines in different ovarian follicular structures and may contribute to the follicularpersistence and ovulation failure found in cattle with follicular cysts.