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Home / Equine Research Bank / Am J Reprod Immunol / The feto-maternal immune response to equine placentitis.
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989)2019; 82(5); e13179; doi: 10.1111/aji.13179

The feto-maternal immune response to equine placentitis.

Abstract: Ascending placentitis is one of the leading causes of abortion in the horse. Minimal work has focused on its effect on fetal fluids or the antenatal immune response of the fetus. Placentitis was induced via transcervical inoculation of Streptococcus equi ssp Zooepidemicus, and fluids/serum/tissues were collected 4-6 days later following euthanasia. Cytokine concentrations were detected using a multiplex immunoassay within fetal fluids (amniotic and allantoic) and serum (maternal and fetal) in inoculated and control mares. In addition, tissues from fetal (spleen, liver, lung, umbilicus, amnioallantois) and maternal (spleen, liver, lung, chorioallantois, endometrium) origin were analyzed in inoculated and control mares utilizing qPCR for expression of cytokines. No difference in cytokine concentrations in maternal or fetal serum was noted between inoculated and control mares. Concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and GRO were upregulated in the amniotic fluid following inoculation, with a trend toward higher IL-6 concentration in allantoic fluid. The amnioallantoic tissue separating the two fluids had higher expression of IL-1β and IL-6 following inoculation, while chorioallantois and endometrium upregulated IL-1β and IL-8 expression. IL-1β was upregulated in the maternal spleen following inoculation. Fetal spleens were upregulated in expression of IL-1β, GRO, and IL-6, while IL-6 was higher in fetal liver after inoculation than in controls. The maternal response to placentitis is primarily pro-inflammatory while the fetus appears to play a regulatory role in this inflammation. Additionally, amniotic fluid sampling may be more diagnostic of ascending placentitis than circulating cytokines.
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2019-08-28 PubMed ID: 31373743DOI: 10.1111/aji.13179Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article studies the effects of equine placentitis on fetus and maternal immune responses. It’s found that placentitis primarily triggers a pro-inflammatory response in the mother, while the fetus seems to regulate this inflammation. Also relevant is the finding that analysis of amniotic fluid might be more informative in diagnosing placentitis than measuring circulating cytokines.

Research Methodology

  • Placentitis, a leading cause of miscarriages in horses, was induced in the subjects through transcervical inoculation of Streptococcus equi ssp Zooepidemicus.
  • Various biological samples like fluids, serum and tissues were collected around 4-6 days after euthanasia of the subjects.
  • Cytokine concentrations, crucial to immune response, in the collected samples were measured and compared against control group samples using a multiplex immunoassay.
  • Additionally, qPCR technology was used to analyze tissues for cytokine expression in mothers and foetuses from both the inoculated and control groups.

Key Findings

  • No significant difference was observed in cytokine concentration in serum from both mother and fetus between control and inoculated cases.
  • In the amniotic fluid, however, the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and GRO cytokines were found to be higher post-inoculation.
  • Levels of IL-6 in allantoic fluid also indicated a trend toward higher concentrations.
  • In specific tissues separating the two fluids, amnioallantoic tissue displayed increased IL-1β and IL-6 expression after inoculation.
  • In tissues of maternal origin like chorioallantois and endometrium, expression of IL-1β and IL-8 was upregulated, and the mother’s spleen showed a higher expression of IL-1β after inoculation.
  • On the fetal side, the spleen showed an upregulated expression of IL-1β, GRO, and IL-6, and the fetal liver had a higher IL-6 concentration post-inoculation.

Conclusion

  • The research shows that equine placentitis predominantly triggers a pro-inflammatory response on the maternal side, with the fetus seemingly acting as a regulator of this inflammation.
  • The study also suggests that analysis of amniotic fluid could potentially be more effective for diagnosing ascending placentitis compared to circulating cytokines.

Cite This Article

APA
Fedorka CE, Ball BA, Scoggin KE, Loux SC, Troedsson MHT, Adams AA. (2019). The feto-maternal immune response to equine placentitis. Am J Reprod Immunol, 82(5), e13179. https://doi.org/10.1111/aji.13179

Publication

American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989)
ISSN: 1600-0897
NlmUniqueID: 8912860
Country: Denmark
Language: English
Volume: 82
Issue: 5
Pages: e13179

Researcher Affiliations

Fedorka, Carleigh E
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
Ball, Barry A
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
Scoggin, Kirsten E
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
Loux, Shavahn C
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
Troedsson, Mats H T
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
Adams, Amanda A
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Chorioamnionitis / immunology
  • Chorioamnionitis / microbiology
  • Chorioamnionitis / pathology
  • Chorioamnionitis / veterinary
  • Female
  • Fetus / immunology
  • Fetus / microbiology
  • Fetus / pathology
  • Horse Diseases / immunology
  • Horse Diseases / microbiology
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horses / immunology
  • Horses / microbiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / immunology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / microbiology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / pathology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / veterinary
  • Streptococcal Infections / immunology
  • Streptococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Streptococcal Infections / pathology
  • Streptococcal Infections / veterinary
  • Streptococcus equi / immunology

Grant Funding

  • University of Kentucky Clay Endowment

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
  1. Segabinazzi LGTM, Canisso IF, Podico G, Cunha LL, Novello G, Rosser MF, Loux SC, Lima FS, Alvarenga MA. Intrauterine Blood Plasma Platelet-Therapy Mitigates Persistent Breeding-Induced Endometritis, Reduces Uterine Infections, and Improves Embryo Recovery in Mares. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021 Apr 23;10(5).
    doi: 10.3390/antibiotics10050490pubmed: 33922743google scholar: lookup
  2. Scoggin KE, Rakha SI, Abdellatif AM, Adlan F, Helmy YA, Ruby R, Ball B, Boakari Y, Ali HE. Activation of the S100A8/A9 Alarmin Amplifies Inflammatory Pathways in Equine Ascending Placentitis. Int J Mol Sci 2026 Feb 4;27(3).
    doi: 10.3390/ijms27031550pubmed: 41683969google scholar: lookup
  3. Satué K, La Fauci D, Medica P, Damiá Gímenez E, Cravana C, Fazio E. Shifts between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory profiles in pregnant mares: a review of physiological functions. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1660759.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1660759pubmed: 41049139google scholar: lookup
  4. Marchio SP, El-Sheikh Ali H, Scott MA, Barbosa Fernandes C, Scoggin KE, Troedsson M, Boakari Y. Decoding the amniotic membrane transcriptome during equine ascending placentitis. Sci Rep 2025 Aug 21;15(1):30714.
    doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-16671-5pubmed: 40841585google scholar: lookup
  5. Morales-Vázquez MM, Meza-Serrano E, Lara-Pereyra I, Acuña-González RJ, Alonso-Morales R, Hayen-Valles S, Boeta AM, Zarco L, Lozano-Cuenca J, López-Canales JS, Flores-Herrera H. Equine Placentitis in Mares Induces the Secretion of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine eIL-1β and the Active Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP)-9. Vet Sci 2023 Aug 22;10(9).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci10090532pubmed: 37756054google scholar: lookup
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