Assessing Long-Term Changes in Endometrial Morphology and Functionality in Dairy Cows With Metritis

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Reproductive Biology
• Dairy Science

Background:

• Metritis, a postpartum uterine disease in dairy cows, can impact reproductive performance.
• Understanding the long-term effects of metritis on the bovine endometrium is crucial for herd health management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the persistent effects of metritis on endometrial morphology and gene expression in dairy cows.
• To investigate potential long-term alterations in uterine fluid metabolomics following metritis.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study involving 107 Holstein cows, with metritis diagnosed using the Metricheck device.
• Endometrial biopsies and uterine fluid cytology collected 6 days post-ovulation (68-75 days in milk).
• Histological analysis for morphology, RNA sequencing for transcriptomics, and metabolomic profiling of uterine fluid.

Main Results:

• Cows with metritis showed a numerically higher prevalence of periglandular fibrosis compared to controls.
• Transcriptomic analysis revealed 17 differentially expressed genes, including those related to tissue repair in metritis-affected cows.
• No significant differences were found in uterine fluid metabolomic profiles between the metritis and control groups.

Conclusions:

• Metritis is associated with persistent changes in endometrial morphology and gene expression detectable long after clinical recovery.
• These long-term endometrial alterations following metritis were not reflected in the uterine fluid metabolome.
• Further research may explore the functional consequences of these persistent changes on future fertility.