Lipidomic profiling of cervical mucus reveals the potential role of pro-inflammatory derived metabolites on sperm transport across the ovine cervix
Internationally, cervical artificial insemination (AI) in sheep yields low pregnancy rates when frozen-thawed semen is used. An exception to this is in Norway where vaginal AI of frozen-thawed semen to a natural oestrus yields non-return rates in excess of 60%, which has been attributed to the ewe b...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-05-01
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| Series: | Animal |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731124000673 |
| _version_ | 1797203003485192192 |
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| author | Laura Abril-Parreño Anette Krogenæs Sean Fair |
| author_facet | Laura Abril-Parreño Anette Krogenæs Sean Fair |
| author_sort | Laura Abril-Parreño |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Internationally, cervical artificial insemination (AI) in sheep yields low pregnancy rates when frozen-thawed semen is used. An exception to this is in Norway where vaginal AI of frozen-thawed semen to a natural oestrus yields non-return rates in excess of 60%, which has been attributed to the ewe breed used in Norway. This study used both metabolomics and an RNA-sequencing approach to assess the lipid production and composition from cervical mucus and tissue of four European ewe breeds (n = 28–30 ewes per breed) with previously reported differences in pregnancy rates following cervical AI with frozen-thawed semen. These breeds included Suffolk (exhibiting low fertility), Belclare (medium fertility) as well as Norwegian White Sheep and Fur (both with high fertility and pregnancy rates > 60%) at both a synchronised and natural oestrous cycle. The aim was to explore the differences between ewe breeds in the lipidomic profile and to identify candidate biomarkers associated with an optimal environment for cervical sperm transport. The results revealed the identification of 255 lipids, of which 170, 102 and 83 were different between ewe breeds, types of cycle and affected by their interaction, respectively (P < 0.05). Reduced levels of lipids involved in the resolution of inflammation (i.e. 14-HDoHE,17-HDoHE, 15-HETE) were identified in the low-fertility Suffolk breed compared to high-fertility ewe breeds. However, there was an up-regulation of the COX pathway accompanied by increased levels of prostaglandins in the Suffolk breed. These findings indicated a sub-optimal and pro-inflammatory environment that could have a negative effect on cervical sperm transport. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:12:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-05ec63d5eb3d47d599eaa973ca5de8a8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1751-7311 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:12:25Z |
| publishDate | 2024-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal |
| spelling | doaj.art-05ec63d5eb3d47d599eaa973ca5de8a82024-04-17T04:49:03ZengElsevierAnimal1751-73112024-05-01185101136Lipidomic profiling of cervical mucus reveals the potential role of pro-inflammatory derived metabolites on sperm transport across the ovine cervixLaura Abril-Parreño0Anette Krogenæs1Sean Fair2Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Bernal Institute, Faculty of Science and Engineering. University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, IrelandFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 5003 1432 Ås, NorwayLaboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Bernal Institute, Faculty of Science and Engineering. University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland; Corresponding author.Internationally, cervical artificial insemination (AI) in sheep yields low pregnancy rates when frozen-thawed semen is used. An exception to this is in Norway where vaginal AI of frozen-thawed semen to a natural oestrus yields non-return rates in excess of 60%, which has been attributed to the ewe breed used in Norway. This study used both metabolomics and an RNA-sequencing approach to assess the lipid production and composition from cervical mucus and tissue of four European ewe breeds (n = 28–30 ewes per breed) with previously reported differences in pregnancy rates following cervical AI with frozen-thawed semen. These breeds included Suffolk (exhibiting low fertility), Belclare (medium fertility) as well as Norwegian White Sheep and Fur (both with high fertility and pregnancy rates > 60%) at both a synchronised and natural oestrous cycle. The aim was to explore the differences between ewe breeds in the lipidomic profile and to identify candidate biomarkers associated with an optimal environment for cervical sperm transport. The results revealed the identification of 255 lipids, of which 170, 102 and 83 were different between ewe breeds, types of cycle and affected by their interaction, respectively (P < 0.05). Reduced levels of lipids involved in the resolution of inflammation (i.e. 14-HDoHE,17-HDoHE, 15-HETE) were identified in the low-fertility Suffolk breed compared to high-fertility ewe breeds. However, there was an up-regulation of the COX pathway accompanied by increased levels of prostaglandins in the Suffolk breed. These findings indicated a sub-optimal and pro-inflammatory environment that could have a negative effect on cervical sperm transport.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731124000673CervixInflammationLipidsMetabolomicsSheep |
| spellingShingle | Laura Abril-Parreño Anette Krogenæs Sean Fair Lipidomic profiling of cervical mucus reveals the potential role of pro-inflammatory derived metabolites on sperm transport across the ovine cervix Animal Cervix Inflammation Lipids Metabolomics Sheep |
| title | Lipidomic profiling of cervical mucus reveals the potential role of pro-inflammatory derived metabolites on sperm transport across the ovine cervix |
| title_full | Lipidomic profiling of cervical mucus reveals the potential role of pro-inflammatory derived metabolites on sperm transport across the ovine cervix |
| title_fullStr | Lipidomic profiling of cervical mucus reveals the potential role of pro-inflammatory derived metabolites on sperm transport across the ovine cervix |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lipidomic profiling of cervical mucus reveals the potential role of pro-inflammatory derived metabolites on sperm transport across the ovine cervix |
| title_short | Lipidomic profiling of cervical mucus reveals the potential role of pro-inflammatory derived metabolites on sperm transport across the ovine cervix |
| title_sort | lipidomic profiling of cervical mucus reveals the potential role of pro inflammatory derived metabolites on sperm transport across the ovine cervix |
| topic | Cervix Inflammation Lipids Metabolomics Sheep |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731124000673 |
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