Expression of Inflammatory Factors in Bovine Reproductive Tract During Follicular and Luteal Phases

In order to improve reproduvtive efficieny and understand reproduvtive defense mechanism, the oviduct, uterine horn and uterine body of bovine were used to detect the changes of inflammatory factors and the relationship between estrogen and progesterone receptor protein during estrous cycle by real-time PCR and Elisa method. The results showed that interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-1α (IL-1α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were expressed in cow oviduct, uterine horn and uterine body. In the follicular phase and the luteal phase, mRNA expression of five inflammatory factors in the uterine horn and uterine body was higher than that in the oviduct. In the follicular phase, IL-10 was highly expressed in the uterine horn and uterine body, IL-4 was highly expressed in the uterine horn, uterine body and oviduct. Additionally, in the luteal phase, IL-6 and IL-1β were highly expressed in the uterine horn, uterine body and oviduct, and the highest expression of IL-1β was observed in the uterine horn. The levels of Estrogen Receptor (ERα) protein in the oviduct, uterine horn and uterine body significantly increased in the follicular phase. The levels of Progesterone Receptor (PR) protein in the same portions of the reproductive tract in the luteal phase were significantly higher than those in the follicular phase. IL-4 and IL-10 in the cow reproductive tract might play a major role in the follicular phase, while IL-6 and IL-1β might play a major role in the luteal phase. The expression of five inflammatory factors was not directly regulated by ERα and PR.