Use of corticosteroid therapy on the modulation of uterine inflammatory response in mares after artificial insemination with frozen semen

Abstract

SummaryIn order to modulate uterine inflammatory response and evaluate the effect of corticosteroid therapy on fertility, 90 cycles of 45 mares were used for artificial insemination with frozen semen, using three different protocols: G1 -inseminated with frozen semen (800 x 10 6 viable spermatozoa pre-freezing) + 20 mL of seminal plasma; G2 -inseminated with frozen semen (800 x 10 6 viable spermatozoa pre-freezing) + corticosteroid therapy; G3 -inseminated with frozen semen (800 x 10 6 viable spermatozoa pre-freezing) + 20 mL of seminal plasma + corticosteroid therapy. Corticosteroid therapy consisted on one administration of prednisolone acetate (0.1mg/Kg -Predef ® ) when mares presented 35mm follicles and uterine edema, concomitantly with the unique dose of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), then repeated each 12 hours until ovulation. On first fertility trial, with normal mares, there was no difference between control and treated groups (p>0.05), using seminal plasma associated with corticosteroid therapy (40 vs. 38%, respectively) or corticosteroid therapy alone (40 vs. 45%, respectively). The second fertility trial, performed with mares with previous history of post-insemination endometritis, demonstrated a significant increase of pregnancy rate when mares were submitted to corticosteroid therapy (0.0 vs. 64.5%, respectively; p<0.05). Corticosteroid therapy was shown to be safe, with no physical or reproductive alterations on treated mares, demonstrating to be an adequate option to those animals with history of post-breeding or post-insemination endometritis. Further clinical research is necessary to confirm these results and contribute to the establishment of preventive therapy for cases of post-insemination endometritis.Keywords: Equine, corticosteroid, seminal plasma, frozen semen, fertility, reproduction Einfluss einer Kortikosteroidtherapie auf die Regulierung der uterinen Entzündungsreaktion bei Stuten nach künstlicher Besamung mit Gefriersperma Um die uterine Entzündungsreaktion zu beeinflussen und den Effekt einer Kortikosteroidtherapie auf die Fertilität zu bewerten, wurden 90 Zyklen von 45 Stuten für die künstliche Besamung mit Gefriersperma nach drei verschiedenen Schemata genutzt: G1 -besamt mit Gefriersperma (800 x 10 6 lebensfähige Spermien, vor Gefrieren) + 20 ml Seminalplasma; G2 -besamt mit Gefriersperma (800 x 10 6 lebensfä-hige Spermien, vor Gefrieren) + Kortikosteroidtherapie; G3 -besamt mit Gefriersperma (800 x 10 6 lebensfähige Spermien, vor Gefrieren) + 20 ml Seminalplasma + Kortikosteroidtherapie. Die Kortikosteroidtherapie der Stuten bestand aus der Gabe von Prednisolonacetat (0,1 mg/kg -Predef ® ) mit dem Auftreten 35 mm großer Follikel und eines intrauterinen Ödems, begleitet von einer einmaligen Gabe hCG (humanes Choriongonadotropin). Die Steroidtherapie wurde bis zur Ovulation alle 12 Stunden wiederholt. Beim ersten Versuch mit gesunden Stuten konnten keine Unterschiede in der Trächtigkeitsrate zwischen der Kontrollgruppe und der behandelten Gruppe (p>0,05) festgestellt werden....

The phagocytic function of blood-derived polymorphonuclear neutrophils after administration of dexamethasone for the modulation of post-breeding endometritis in the mare

“…The use of corticosteroids on the modulation of persistent post-breeding endometritis has been suggested to be a safe and effective treatment strategy for increasing fertility rates in susceptible mares (Dell'Aqua et al 2006, Bucca et al 2008, Papa et al 2008. As endometritis is a major economic problem to the equine industry, with one study finding that approximately 15% of Thoroughbred broodmares being susceptible to the development of persistent breeding-induced endometritis, there is an incentive to investigate more efficacious treatment strategies (Zent et al 1998).…”

“…Clinically, corticosteroids have been suggested to reduce uterine edema, intraluminal fluid accumulation, and have also been reported to improve fertility in selected mares with persistent breeding-induced endometritis (Dell'Aqua et al 2006, Bucca et al 2008, Papa et al 2008). We did not investigate the efficacy of treatment with dexamethasone on any of these parameters.…”

“…Administration of corticosteroids around the time of ovulation/breeding improved pregnancy rates (frozen and fresh semen) and uterine lavage fluid character on susceptible mares, as measured by a decrease in uterine edema/fluid accumulation and improved uterine fluid turbidity (Bucca et al 2008, Papa et al 2008. Additionally, no deleterious effects were noted on embryological survival and development (Bucca et al 2008).…”

Non-traditional treatments for endometritis in mares

“…In addition, there is evidence that the judicious use of steroids may increase pregnancy rates in mares with endometritis Rohrbach et al, 2007;Bucca et al, 2008;Papa et al, 2008;Vandaele et al, 2010). Glucocorticoid therapy is a common medication to manage inflammatory diseases because of potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties.…”

“…Christoffersen et al (2012), observed that when dexamethasone was used in mares with experimental induced E. coli endometritis as an adjunctive treatment, fluid accumulation rarely occured. Oral administration of prednisolone (0.1 mg/kg) at 12-hour intervals for 4 days beginning 48 h before breeding, also improved pregnancy rates in mares susceptible to fluid accumulation (Papa et al, 2008). In contrast, administration of dexamethasone (10 or 20 mg i.m.)…”