Comparison of peripheral blood and uterine-derived polymorphonuclear leukocytes from mares resistant and susceptible to chronic endometritis: chemotactic and cell elastimetry analysis.

The functional competence of peripheral blood and uterine-derived polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from 12 mares were analyzed for chemotactic responsiveness using a chemotactic chamber (filter) assay and for deformability by cell elastimetry analysis. Peripheral blood PMN obtained from control mares and from 8 mares experimentally inoculated via the uterus with 1 x 10(9) Streptococcus zooepidemicus had similar normal chemotactic responsiveness and were highly deformable before and at 12 hours after inoculation. Uterine PMN obtained 12 hours after uterine inoculation with S zooepidemicus from resistant mares were not as deformable as peripheral blood PMN, but were within normal functional limits. The chemotactic responsiveness of uterine PMN from these mares was normal. Uterine PMN obtained from mares considered susceptible to endometritis 12 hours after uterine infection did not have chemotactic responsiveness and were nondeformable. The results indicated profound differences in the functional competence of uterine PMN between mares considered resistant and susceptible to chronic endometritis.