The endometrium histopathology and cell ultrastructure in bitches with pyometra induced using progesterone and Escherichia coli.

BACKGROUND: We investigated uterine histopathological and ultrastructural changes in female dogs with pyometra induced by Escherichia coli (E. coli) inoculation using progesterone and/or estradiol. METHODS: Dogs were ovariectomized and classified into six groups: Groups 1-6 corresponding to estradiol treatment followed by progesterone supplementation, progesterone supplementation only, estradiol supplementation only, simultaneous treatment using estradiol and progesterone, similar to Group 1 but with a double dose, and control group, respectively. RESULTS: Pyometra was successfully induced in Groups 1, 2, 4, and 5, but not in Group 3. An uneven endometrial surface was observed, along with a purulent discharge, bleeding, inflammatory lesions, cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH) or cystic endometrial atrophy. Endometrial thickness percentage, uterine wall thickness, and the percentage of endometrial cyst area increased. Endometrial epithelial mushroom-like hyperplasia and the honeycomb-like structure exposed under the epithelium after flaky exfoliation were found, and the glandular epithelial villi became longer or shorter. Mitochondria expansion and increased lysosome were observed. Endoplasmic reticulum dilation and swelling and many inflammatory cells, especially plasma cell infiltration in the stroma, were found. CONCLUSIONS: Endometrial histopathology and ultrastructural changes in affected dogs were accompanied by induction of pyometra, and they were affected by different hormonal patterns and E. coli.

Escherichia coli virulence influences the roles of sex hormone receptors in female dogs with simulated pyometra.

The present study aimed to investigate whether Escherichia coli virulence affects the roles of sex hormone receptors in female dogs with simulated pyometra. A total of 33 healthy, nulliparous, crossbred female dogs were divided into four groups, with 10 dogs in each of the three experimental groups and 3 dogs in the control group. Estradiol was administrated to female dogs in group 1 continuously at 0.6-4.8 mg/kg twice daily for 12 days (the dose doubled every three days), followed by intramuscular injection of 0.2-1.8 mg/kg progesterone. The progesterone was administrated with an initial dose of 0.2 µg/kg and increased 0.2 mg/kg every three days, twice daily until the maximum of 1.8 mg/kg for 24 days and maintained at 1.8 mg/kg for 19 days. Progesterone only was administrated at 1.8 mg/kg in group 2 (twice daily) for 55 continuous days and only estradiol was administered with an initial dose of 0.6 µg/kg (dose doubled every 3 days for 12 days) in group 3 twice daily and maintained at 4.8 mg/kg for the following 43 days. A strongly virulent E. coli strain, nau-b, and a weakly virulent strain, nau-i, were screened. On the 12th day of diestrus, 5 female dogs in each of the experimental groups were inoculated with E. coli nau-i strain, while the other five in each group were inoculated with nau-b strain. Histopathological changes of uterine tissues were microscopically observed 50 days after E. coli inoculation and hormone receptor expression levels were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Simulated pyometra was observed in dogs administrated with progesterone alone or progesterone combined with estradiol. The clinical symptoms and histopathological observation demonstrated that inoculation with strongly virulent E. coli strain, nau-b, caused earlier onset of pyometra symptoms and more severe pyometra symptoms compared with the weakly virulent E. coli strain, nau-i. Furthermore, estrogen and progesterone receptor levels in dogs with pyometra inoculated with E. coli strain nau-i was higher than those in dogs with pyometra inoculated with E. coli strain nau-b. These results indicated that E. coli affects the roles of sex hormone receptors in female dogs with simulated pyometra.