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Research article2010Peer reviewedOpen access

Spermadhesin PSP-I/PSP-II heterodimer induces migration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils into the uterine cavity of the sow

Rodriguez, Heriberto; Saravia-Ramos, Fernando; Wallgren, Margareta; Martinez, Emilio A; Sanz, Libia; Roca, Jordi; Vazquez, Juan M; Calvete, Juan José

Abstract

Seminal plasma (SP) is a complex fluid which exerts biological actions in the female reproductive tract. In pigs, SP elicits endometrial inflammation and consequent immune changes after mating. This study tested whether heparin-binding spermadhesins (HBPs) and the heterodimer of porcine sperm adhesions I and II (PSP-I/PSP-II) in SP recruit different lymphocyte subsets (CD2(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells) or polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) to the superficial endometrium or luminal epithelium and lumen, respectively, of oestrous sows. In Experiment 1, endometrial biopsies were taken between 2 and 120 min after infusion of uterine horns with HBPs, PSP-I/PSP-II or saline and evaluated by immunohistochemistry or histology. In Experiment 2, the uterus of oestrous sows was infused with PSP-I/PSP-II or saline to assess PMN numbers in the uterine lumen 3 h later. PSP-I/PSP-II elicited CD2(+) T cell recruitment from 10 min, and CD8(+) T cells from 60 min after infusion, while HBPs increased CD4(+) T cell recruitment by 120 min. PSP-I/PSP-II but not HBPs induced PMN migration to the surface epithelium by 10 min. PMN numbers were elevated 5-fold by 30 min and 7-fold from 60 min. with PMNs detectable in the lumen from 30 min after infusion. Six-fold more PMNs were collected from the uterine lumen of PSP-I/PSP-II-infused sows compared to controls at 3 h after infusion. These data show that PSP-I/PSP-II heterodimer in seminal plasma has a predominant role in triggering the recruitment of uterine PMNs and T cells after mating, initiating a cascade of transient and long-lasting immunological events. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Seminal plasma; Spermadhesins; PMNs; Inflammation; T cells; Endometrium; In vivo; Pig

Published in

Journal of Reproductive Immunology
2010, Volume: 84, number: 1, pages: 57-65
Publisher: ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

      SLU Authors

        • UKÄ Subject classification

        Veterinary Science
        Animal and Dairy Science

        Publication identifier

        DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jri.2009.10.007

        Permanent link to this page (URI)

        https://res.slu.se/id/publ/60854