ABSTRACT
The objective of the study was to investigate the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of endometritis in buffaloes, which can lead to early diagnosis of endometritis. The expression of CD14, TLR-4, and IL-1ß encoding gene in endometrium of buffaloes with subclinical endometritis were 1.87, 2.71, and 3.48-fold, while samples with clinical endometritis showed only 2.90, 4.76, and 8.02-fold for CD14, TLR-4, and IL-1ß, respectively, though numerical value of expression was higher in subclinical and clinical endometritis but it was at par with control. The expression profile for IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α mRNA for subclinical endometritis were 11.95, 14.87, and 12.95-fold while for clinical endometritis, values were 18.17, 37.97, and 28.83-fold for IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α mRNA, respectively, which were significantly higher in subclinical and clinical endometritis as compared to apparently normal samples at follicular phase. In the luteal group, the subclinical endometritis sample showed 2.13, 6.43, 14.52, 22.38, 18.64, and 2.82-fold respectively, for CD14, IL-1ß IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and TLR-4 mRNA. Except TLR-4, the values of expression were significantly higher when compared with apparently normal. Whereas, the expression values of clinical endometritic uteri were 4.01, 7.15, 17.20, 45.55, 52.58, and 32.95-fold respectively, for CD14, TLR-4, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α mRNA which were significantly higher as compared to apparently normal uteri. An increase in the mRNA expression of CD14, TLR-4, and pro-inflammatory cytokines having higher diagnostic importance in uterine inflammation.