title: Influence of estrogen on antibacterial and immunoglobulin secretory activities of uterine fluids from ovariectomized mares.
abstract: Effect of estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) on uterine antibacterial activity and immunoglobulin concentrations in mares was studied. In 2 in vitro experiments, 6 mixed-breed mares were ovariectomized, and uterine fluid and blood serum were analyzed. Antibacterial assay methods were used to determine inhibitory effects on Streptococcus zooepidemicus of uterine fluid samples collected on days 3, 5, and 8, and serum obtained on day 8 of treatment. Single radial immunodiffusion methods were used to quantify amounts of IgA and IgG in uterine fluid and serum on days 3, 5, 8, and 14 of treatment. Neither E2 nor P4 increased activity of serum and uterine fluid against S zooepidemicus. Numbers of colony-forming units per milliliter of bacteria were significantly (P < 0.01) lower in control Hanks' balanced salt solution with 1.0% gelatin (HBSSG) than in uterine fluids. Bacterial numbers were significantly (50%) greater in uterine fluids and serum than in HBSSG controls for both treatments. Both fluids, especially serum, supported significantly (P < 0.01) more growth of S zooepidemicus than did HBSSG when incubated for 0, 2, and 4 hours. These findings are in contrast to previous reports of antibacterial activity in the uterus of sexually intact mares undergoing an estrous cycle: great reduction of bacterial count in uterine fluid from mares in diestrus, and significant increases in bacterial numbers in uterine fluid or serum from mares in estrus. Treatment comparisons between serum and uterine fluid IgA and IgG concentrations were not significantly different, although overall IgA concentration in the uterus was higher than concentration in serum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Animal and Equine Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27606.
authors.forename: J U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Oxender
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Berkhoff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001770:Blood Bactericidal Activity; D004343:Drug Implants; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000662:veterinary*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000254:growth & development; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004343:Drug Implants; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol