Effects of a bacterial lipopolysaccharide on the reproductive functions of rabbit does.
Systemic and local infections and inflammations are known to cause infertility in humans and animals. However, the mechanisms by which infection/inflammation induces infertility are only partially known. The objectives of this study were: (i) to provide models of systemic (acute) and local (sub-acute) inflammation by intra-peritoneal injection or intra-cervical deposition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the rabbit and (ii) to assess their effects on uterine tissues and sperm transport in the genital tract of rabbit does. Intra-peritoneal administration of different doses of LPS induced systemic effects such as fever, anorexia and changes in white blood cells (WBC) count. In our study, LPS inoculation (100μg/kg) produced an inflammation-like status that lasted for about 3 days, with minimal distress for the animals. Intra-peritoneal administration of LPS 60h before artificial insemination induced a rapid increase of IL-1β concentrations. The intra-cervical inoculation of LPS did not show any systemic effects, as confirmed by the lack of changes in body temperature, feed intake and WBC count. Histological examination of uterine tissues showed an endometritis-like inflammation status in LPS-treated does, more severe in those inoculated intra-cervically. The number of spermatozoa recovered from uterine horns and oviducts of intra-cervically treated does was less than that retrieved from intra-peritoneally treated animals and controls. These results suggest (i) that sub-acute or acute inflammation may cause infertility by compromising the uterine environment and/or impairing sperm transport and (ii) that the LPS-induced -infection/inflammation experimental model is useful for studying the mechanisms involved in reproductive dysfunctions in the rabbit.
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. Electronic address: gabriele.brecchia@unipg.it.
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Brecchia
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
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Menchetti
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
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Cardinali
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
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Castellini
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
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Polisca
School of Bioscience and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy.
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Zerani
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
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Maranesi
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
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Boiti
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012661:Semen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary
D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides
Infertility; Inflammation; LPS; Rabbit; Reproduction