Cows with metritis (uterine disease) during the first 1 to 2 weeks postpartum have lower pregnancy rates when inseminated later postpartum (typically >10 weeks). We hypothesized that metritis and the disease-associated uterine microbiome have a long-term effect on endometrial gene expression. Changes in gene expression may inform a mechanism through which disease lowers pregnancy rates. A total of 20 cows were enrolled at 1 to 2 weeks postpartum to either metritis (clinical disease; n = 10) or healthy (control; n = 10) groups and randomly assigned to be slaughtered at approximately 80 and 165 dpp (mid-lactation). The microbiome of the reproductive tract was sampled to confirm the presence of pathogens that are typical of metritis. In addition to the original clinical diagnosis, study cows were retrospectively assigned to uterine-disease and control groups based on the composition of their microbiome. There was no effect of early postpartum uterine disease on the uterine microbiome at mid-lactation (time of slaughter). Nonetheless, early postpartum metritis and the disease microbiome were associated with a large number of differentially-expressed genes at mid-lactation primarily in the caruncular compared with the inter-caruncular endometrium. Gene enrichment analysis identified oxidative phosphorylation as the primary pathway increased in caruncular endometrium of diseased cows whereas growth factor signaling pathways were reduced. The current study demonstrated that metritis and a uterine disease microbiome leave a sustained imprint on gene expression in the caruncular endometrium that may explain lower fertility in cows with postpartum uterine disease.

Summary Sentence

The microbiome that typifies early postpartum uterine disease fades over time but nonetheless leaves a sustained imprint on gene expression within the endometrium that may explain lower pregnancy rates in diseased compared with healthy cows.

Graphical Abstract