Investigation of relationships between serum lactate, acute phase proteins, pro/antiinflammatory cytokine levels, and metritis formation in Holstein dairy heifers

The main purpose of this investigation was to identify and suggest suitable early screening inflammatory markers for the early diagnosis of uterine infections such as acute septic metritis (ASM) in the Holstein heifers. In addition, to achieve the above-mentioned aim, the objectives of the present study were tried to determine the relationship between blood serum lactate, acute phase proteins (APPs), pro/anti inflammatory cytokine levels, and metritis formation in Holstein heifers. For this purpose, 250 Holstein heifers which were 11-13 months old, were chosen as the study material. After heifers were conceived, blood serum samples were collected at the 8th and 4th weeks before the parturition. In the postpartum period, animals with ASM (n = 15) and healthy animals (n = 15) were identified, and blood serum samples were taken. Lactate, serum amyloid-A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), Interleukin-1beta (IL-1 (3), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF -& alpha;) levels were measured from these collected blood serum samples. Acute-phase proteins, lactate, and pro and anti inflammatory cytokine levels of healthy and animals with ASM were statistically compared. Heifers with metritis had a significantly greater concentration of IL-6 and SAA versus healthy heifers in the prepartum 8th week. In addition, it was determined that IL-6, IL-1(3, IL-10, TNF-& alpha;, and SAA levels were significantly higher in the 4th week before parturition in the ASM group than those of the healthy group. When all these findings are evaluated together, this study suggested that IL-6, and IL-10, can be used as early biomarkers in the prepartum preliminary diagnosis of postpartum important inflammatory processes such as ASM.