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BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article

Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Animal Reproduction - Theriogenology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1475400

Intrauterine inoculation of pseudorabies virus impairs mouse embryo implantation via inducing inflammation and apoptosis in endometrium

Provisionally accepted
Zhiqiang Chen Zhiqiang Chen 1*Yuting Wen Yuting Wen 1,2*Lizhou Meng Lizhou Meng 1*Suyao Li Suyao Li 1*Wenpeng Min Wenpeng Min 1*Anwen Yuan Anwen Yuan 1*Wen-Lin Chang Wen-Lin Chang 3*QING YANG QING YANG 2*
  • 1 Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Anhui Province, China
  • 2 Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
  • 3 Department of Obstetrics, The People's Hospital of Longhua, Shenzhen, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is the pathogenic agent of pseudorabies, causing serious reproductive failure in swine. However, it is still unknown whether PRV uterine inoculation impairs blastocyst implantation. In the present study, a PRV infection mouse model was developed. Pregnant mice were inoculated with either 10 4 or 10 5 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50) units of PRV on gestation day 2 (GD2). Viral DNA was detected in tissues by PCR and/or in situ hybridization. Histopathological change and expression of proinflammatory cytokines in uterus were analyzed by H.E. staining and qPCR, respectively. Apoptosis was also investigated by TUNEL assay, and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins including Bax and Bcl-2 was detected by Western blot. The results showed that intrauterine exposure of PRV on GD2 reduced the number of embryo implantation site. Abundant viral DNA was detected in spinal marrow and brain, and small amounts of PRV genomes were detected in embryo implantation site, ovary as well as thymus. Considerable inflammatory cells infiltrating in the endometrium, with high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA after infection. In addition, PRV infection promoted apoptosis in stroma and endothelium of the mouse endometrium. Collectively, intrauterine inoculation of PRV during early pregnancy causes cytokine release syndrome and apoptosis in endometrium, which impairs mouse embryo implantation.

    Keywords: pseudorabies virus, intrauterine inoculation, Embryo Implantation, Endometrium, Inflammation, Apoptosis

    Received: 03 Aug 2024; Accepted: 03 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Chen, Wen, Meng, Li, Min, Yuan, Chang and YANG. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Zhiqiang Chen, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Anhui Province, China
    Yuting Wen, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
    Lizhou Meng, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Anhui Province, China
    Suyao Li, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Anhui Province, China
    Wenpeng Min, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Anhui Province, China
    Anwen Yuan, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Anhui Province, China
    Wen-Lin Chang, Department of Obstetrics, The People's Hospital of Longhua, Shenzhen, China
    QING YANG, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China

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