Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bacteria in dog and cat pyometra trigger immune traps in uterus
By Rebordão, M R et al.·Published in Veterinary immunology and immunopathology·2017·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Bacteria causing pyometra in bitch and queen induce neutrophil extracellular traps.
Plain-English summary
A study found that bacteria causing pyometra, a serious infection in female dogs and cats, can trigger the immune system to form structures called neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to fight off the infection. In this research, both queens (female cats) and bitches (female dogs) with pyometra showed signs of these NETs in their uterine tissue, along with the presence of harmful bacteria like E. coli. While the exact role of these NETs in fighting or worsening the infection is still unclear, the findings suggest that they are a response to the infection. Understanding this could help improve treatments for pyometra in pets.
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Abstract
Neutrophils are capable of releasing their DNA in response to infectious agents to form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to destroy pathogens. Even though pyometra in queens and bitches is a common disease, its pathogenesis is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of NETs in the endometrium of queens and bitches suffering from pyometra. Pyometra and normal uteri were obtained after ovariohysterectomy from adult queens and bitches in diestrus. Uterine contents were evaluated for bacterial isolation and identification and for NETs presence. Escherichia coli were isolated in 5/5 queens and 4/5 bitches, and Streptococcus spp in one bitch. Sterile glass coverslips were placed on the endometrium surface to obtain material for NETs that were evaluated by immunocytochemistry (histone, neutrophil elastase or myeloperoxidase), fluorescence microscopy or scanning electron microscopy. NETs in endometrium content were positively stained by DNA histone DAPI, myeloperoxidase and by neutrophil elastase. NETs were spread in all observed queen and bitch endometria of pyometra cases. Ultrastructure images of NETs depicted clusters of globular material with fine filaments deposited on or around thick filaments and trapped bacteria. To the best of our knowledge these are the first findings confirming NETs endometrial presence in queen and bitch pyometra. Nevertheless, the precise role of NETs in pyometra in the bitch and queen, either to contribute to the defeat of infection or to its persistence remains to be unraveled.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29042016/