title: Post-mortem examination of sows genital organs culled for reproductive disturbances and immunohistochemical studies on ERalpha and PR A receptors in the anoestral sows uterus.
abstract: The aim of present study was post-mortem examination of ovaries, uterus and plasma oestradiol-17beta (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentrations in the blood of sows with reproductive disturbances and the distribution of oestradiol receptor (ERalpha), as well as progesterone (PR-A) in the anoestrous sows uteri. Reproductive organs of 150 crossbred sows (Lithuanian White x Danish Landrace) culled for the reasons of reproductive disturbances, were collected in local abattoir over a period of 3 months (September-November). Organs were assessed to determine the stage of the oestrous cycle or anoestrus and their development. Blood samples were collected for E2 and P4 analysis from the jugular vein 1 h prior to slaughter. For this study uterine samples only from pathological anoestrous sows were subjected to immunohistochemical staining to assess the distribution of ERalpha and PR-A in surface epithelium, subepithelial connective tissue, glandular epithelium and myometrium. Macroscopic examination of the ovaries showed that 68.7% sows had active cycling ovaries, 26.6% sows were anoestrus, ovaries were small without CL, and 4.7% of sows had multiple follicular cysts. In anoestrous sows (n = 27) the number and intensity of the nuclear staining of ERalpha varied between different uterine tissue compartments. The highest number (>80%) and the strongest intensity (+++) of positively stained cells for ERalpha was seen in myometrium and glandular epithelium. In other uterine wall compartments the number and intensity of positively stained for ERalpha nuclei was lower (+/++). The PR-A was absent from all tissue compartments. The intensity of the nuclear staining for ERalpha varied not only between the different uterine compartments but also between the sows. The 11.1% of the sows presented ERalpha in surface epithelium, 74.1% of the sows in glandular epithelium and 63.0% of sows in the myometrium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Lithuanian Veterinary Academy, Kaunas, Lithuanian. birutek@lva.lt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karveliene
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zilinskas
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Riskevicience
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy / Q000662:veterinary; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010053:Ovary / Q000473:pathology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C101118:progesterone receptor A; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol