Proteínas de fase aguda no periparto de éguas com placentite e seus respectivos neonatos

Abstract

The ascending placentitis is a major cause of premature birth, abortion and birth of compromised foals, so the search for early markers of this condition becomes critical for diagnosis and treatment in the early stage of the disease. The aim of this study is to characterize the concentration of acute phase proteins in periparturient mares with placentitis and their newborns. In Paper 1, 24 Thoroughbred mares and their neonates were used, which were divided by histopathologic examination of the placenta in group Placentitis (n = 11) and group Healthy (n = 13). The animals were subjected to blood collection at delivery, 18 hours and 7 days after delivery. In Paper 2, 7 mares and their neonates were used, which, the mares were subjected to induction of ascending placentitis between days 290-300 of gestation. The mares were subjected to blood sampling 60 days prepartum, 30 days prepartum, on the day of induction, 24 hours and 48 hours after induction, the day before delivery, immediately after and 24 hours after delivery and newborns immediately after birth, 12 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours after birth. Plasma total protein concentration was determined by the colorimetric method, and reading performed by spectrophotometer. To obtain the concentration of protein fractions was used acrilaminada gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS-PAGE). At the statistical evaluation was considered significance of 5%. Were observed 23 protein bands with molecular weights of 16 kDa to 245 kDa. In Paper 1 it was found, in mares, elevated protein fractions at delivery, in which mares with placentitis showed higher concentrations than healthy mares. The foals from mares with placentitis showed higher concentration of α1-acid glycoprotein after ingestion of colostrum. In Paper 2 mares subjected to induction of placentitis had increased α1-acid glycoprotein from 48 hours after bacterial inoculation. With the results we show the average concentrations of acute phase proteins in mares with placentitis and their newborns for health assessment on that period. We speculate that α1-acid glycoprotein may be indicated as an inflammatory marker for placentitis, but more studies are needed.