Evaluation of the effect of experimental cow endometritis on bactericidal capability of phagocytizing cells isolated from the blood and uterine lumen.

Studies were undertaken to assess the bactericidal activity of phagocytes isolated from blood and the uterine lumen of clinically healthy cows after ovulation, and from cows in which endometritis was induced experimentally. Experiments were carried out on 28 clinically healthy cows of the black and white lowland breed. Animals were aged 5 years and were used between the 2nd and 8th day after spontaneous ovulation. Cows were divided into four groups. Group I comprised animals in which cell-mediated type immune reaction was induced in the left uterine horn by intrauterine challenge with tuberculin. Cows in this group were initially vaccinated with M. bovis via the intrauterine route. In group II, Arthus type immune reaction was induced by challenging immunized animals with C. fetus ssp. veneralis through intrauterine instillation. The non-specific inflammatory process was initiated in the uterus of animals in group III by one instillation of lipopolysaccharide from S. abortus equi. Animals in group IV were set as control and received a phosphate buffered saline instillation into the uterine lumen. The cells from the left uterine horn were washed out 6 h after induction. Neutrophils were isolated from blood samples collected from all animals within the same time. The bacterial activity of cells from the uterine lumen and blood was assessed with the nitro-blue tetrazolium reduction test. Results are presented as increase in optical density resulting from a constant number of phagocytizing cells (delta OD/10(6) cells). Induction of cell-mediated immune reaction or Arthus type immune reaction in the uterus significantly boosts the intracellular capability of uterine cells to kill bacteria through the oxidation system. Experimentally induced non-specific endometritis weakens the bactericidal activity of uterine phagocytes, while peripheral blood phagocytes efficiently kill the engulfed bacteria.