| Autor: |
Alpoim-Moreira J; CIISA-Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.; Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal., Fernandes C; CIISA-Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.; Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal., Rebordão MR; CIISA-Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.; Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.; Polytechnic of Coimbra, Coimbra Agriculture School, Bencanta, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal., Costa AL; Embriovet-Prestação de Serviços Veterinários Lda., 2125-348 Muge, Portugal., Bliebernicht M; Embriovet-Prestação de Serviços Veterinários Lda., 2125-348 Muge, Portugal., Nunes T; CIISA-Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.; Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal., Szóstek-Mioduchowska A; Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, 10-748 Olsztyn, Poland., Skarzynski DJ; Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, 10-748 Olsztyn, Poland., Ferreira-Dias G; CIISA-Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal.; Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal. |
| Abstrakt: |
Collagen pathological deposition in equine endometrium (endometrosis) is responsible for infertility. Kenney and Doig's endometrial biopsy histopathological classification is the gold standard method for endometrosis evaluation, whereby blood biomarkers identification would be less invasive and could provide additional information regarding endometrosis diagnosis and fertility prognosis. This study aimed to identify blood biomarkers for endometrosis diagnosis (42 mares were used in experiment 1), and fertility assessment (50 mares were used in experiment 2). Reproductive examination, endometrial biopsy histopathological classification (Kenney and Doig) and blood collection were performed. Endometrium and serum collagen type I (COL1) and type III (COL3), and hydroxyproline concentrations were measured (ELISA). Serum COL3 cut-off value of 60.9 ng/mL allowed healthy endometria (category I) differentiation from endometria with degenerative/fibrotic lesions (categories IIA, IIB or III) with 100% specificity and 75.9% sensitivity. This cut-off value enabled category I + IIA differentiation from IIB + III (76% specificity, 81% sensitivity), and category III differentiation from others (65% specificity, 92.3% sensitivity). COL1 and hydroxyproline were not valid as blood biomarkers. Serum COL3 cut-off value of 146 ng/mL differentiated fertile from infertile mares (82.4% specificity, 55.6% sensitivity), and was not correlated with mares' age. Only COL3 may prove useful as a diagnostic aid in mares with endometrial fibrosis and as a fertility indicator. |
