Effects of vascular elastosis on uterine blood flow and perfusion in anesthetized mares.
Abstract: In the uterus of the mare, data obtained using transrectal Doppler ultrasonography indicate that uterine blood flow (UBF) is dynamic and changes throughout the estrous cycle. Degenerative lesions in the uterus are associated with subfertility and infertility. Among these lesions, vascular elastosis has been reported in aged, multiparous, and infertile mares. Angiosis of the uterine vasculature could potentially compromise UBF. The objectives of this experiment are to determine levels of UBF and perfusion of reproductively healthy mares and compare them to levels of subfertile/infertile mares affected by uterine vascular elastosis. Twenty mares were classified on the basis of degree of vascular degeneration and stage of cycle. A fluorescent microsphere technique was used to measure reproductive organ perfusion, where microspheres were injected into the left ventricle of the heart and became trapped in capillary beds in proportion to blood flow and tissue perfusion. The reproductive tract was removed, sectioned, and the fluorescent intensity evaluated to measure blood flow and perfusion. Additionally, full-thickness samples of the uterine wall were examined postmortem to further assess the degree of vascular degeneration in all layers of uterine wall. The mean value of uterine perfusion for the control mares during estrus (n = 5) was higher (P 0.05) during estrus (n = 5) and diestrus (n = 5); 5.9 and 7.2 mL/min/100g, respectively. Uterine perfusion in subfertile/infertile mares affected by elastosis was lower than that of control mares during both estrus (P < 0.01) and diestrus (P < 0.01). The differences in baseline levels of perfusion between the control and elastosis groups indicate that elastosis of the uterine vasculature is associated with decreased uterine perfusion during both phases of the estrous cycle. In the uterus, a compromise in UBF could have implications in endometrial glandular development, postbreeding endometritis, uterine clearance, development of the conceptus, and overall fertility.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2014-11-29 PubMed ID: 25543154DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2014.11.032Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research investigates how a vascular degenerative condition, known as vascular elastosis, affects blood flow and perfusion in the uterus of mares, and its potential implications on fertility issues. The study contrasts blood flow in healthy mares with that of subfertile or infertile mares exhibiting elastosis, revealing a significant decrease in uterine perfusion in affected individuals during different stages of the estrous cycle.
Objective and Methodology
- The study aims to understand the impact of vascular elastosis on uterine blood flow (UBF) and its potential link to problems of subfertility or infertility in mares.
- For the purpose of the research, twenty mares were enlisted and divided according to the degree of vascular degeneration and their estrous cycle stage.
- The study employed a fluorescent microsphere technique to measure organ perfusion. This involved injecting the microspheres into the heart’s left ventricle, which then became trapped in capillaries in proportion to the blood flow and tissue perfusion.
- The reproductive tract was surgically removed, sectioned, and its fluorescent intensity evaluated to measure blood flow and perfusion. Furthermore, full-thickness samples of the uterine wall were inspected postmortem to ascertain the degree of vascular degeneration in the uterine wall layers.
Findings
- It was observed that the mean value of uterine perfusion (the volume of blood that passes through a given amount of tissue in a given time) for healthy mares was significantly higher during estrus than during diestrus.
- Contrary to this, for subfertile/infertile mares, there was no significant difference in tissue perfusion between estrus and diestrus.
- Among subfertile/infertile mares suffering from elastosis, uterine perfusion was notably lower than in healthy mares, regardless of the stage of the estrous cycle. This indicates that vascular elastosis is associated with reduced uterine perfusion during either phase of the estrous cycle.
Implications
- A decrease in UBF could potentially have noteworthy consequences in the uterus, including potentially affecting endometrial glandular development, postbreeding endometritis, uterine clearance, and the conceptus’s development.
- The differences in baseline levels of perfusion between healthy and elastosis-affected mares suggest that the latter’s uterine vascular condition could be a contributing factor to their subfertility or infertility issues. Therefore, early detection and treatment of uterine vascular elastosis might improve the fertility outlook for these mares.
Cite This Article
APA
Esteller-Vico A, Liu IK, Vaughan B, Steffey EP, Brosnan RJ.
(2014).
Effects of vascular elastosis on uterine blood flow and perfusion in anesthetized mares.
Theriogenology, 83(6), 988-994.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2014.11.032 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA. Electronic address: aleste@ucdavis.edu.
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Estrous Cycle / physiology
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Infertility, Female / veterinary
- Ultrasonography, Doppler / methods
- Ultrasonography, Doppler / veterinary
- Uterus / blood supply
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Katila T, Ferreira-Dias G. Evolution of the Concepts of Endometrosis, Post Breeding Endometritis, and Susceptibility of Mares.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Mar 19;12(6).
- Tibary A. Grand Challenge Animal Reproduction-Theriogenology: From the Bench to Application to Animal Production and Reproductive Medicine.. Front Vet Sci 2017;4:114.
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