Evaluation of serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-10, and nitric oxide (NO) during the estrous cycle, early pregnancy and abortion in goats.

The aim of this study was to establish the serum concentrations, ranges, and trends of Th1 type cytokine (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-2), Th2 type cytokine (IL-10), and nitric oxide (NO) during the estrous cycle, early pregnancy and abortion in goats. Boer goats (n=25) having symptoms of normal estrous cycles were selected, 20 were mated and 15 conceived a pregnancy, and the remaining five were not mated and served as estrous controls. On the Day 60 of pregnancy, all 15 pregnant goats were induced to abort the pregnancy by intramuscular injection of prostaglandin (PG). Serum samples were collected on Days 1, 7, 14, and 19 of the estrous cycle, at Days 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 of pregnancy, and at Days 1, 3, 8, 10 over the period when abortion were occurring. Results of the present study indicated that during the estrous cycle the balance between Th1 and Th2 cytokines slightly shifted toward Th1 cytokine production (TNF-α and IL-2). The NO may have a direct positive role in inducing a Th1 response. During early pregnancy, TNF-α and IL-2 serum concentrations markedly increased from Days 0 to 10, and gradually decreased from Days 10 to 60, while IL-10 and NO serum concentrations remained elevated from Days 0 to 60. The increased concentrations of IL-10 and decreased concentrations of TNF-α and IL-2 are characteristic of a Th2-enhanced response, which may be related to increased concentrations of NO. These changes may be essential to maintain a normal pregnancy. In addition, the serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-2 and NO at Days 1, 3, 8 and 10 of the period of induced abortion were markedly greater than that on Day 60 of pregnancy. Conversely, IL-10 concentrations at these four time points of abortion were markedly less than that on Day 60 of pregnancy. After abortion, the Th2 response shifted to a Th1-enhanced response. Thus, NO concentrations increase and the Th1-enhanced response may function synergistically to be involved in physiologic responses that lead to abortion of the pregnancy. It is concluded that the serum concentrations of the Th1/Th2 cytokine and NO changed temporally as the estrous cycle, pregnancy and abortion progressed advanced. A Th2-enhanced state promoted normal pregnancy, while increased concentrations of Th1 were observed during the period of fetal abortion. The concentrations of NO varied in regulation of the Th1/Th2 cytokine concentration balance during the three phases (estrous cycle, pregnancy, and fetal abortion) of goats.