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Changes in the expression of Interleukin-1β and Tumor Necrosis Factor- in the oviduct of laying hens in response to artificial insemination

S Das, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
N Isobe, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
Y Yoshimura, Animal Science, Grad. Schl. of Biosphere Sci., Hiroshima Univ., Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8528, Japan

Correspondence: Yukinori Yoshimura, Email: yyosimu{at}hiroshima-u.ac.jp

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the physiological significance of two proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-), in the fate of sperm in the oviduct of laying hens after artificial insemination (AI). Laying hens were inseminated with fresh semen, PBS or seminal plasma and tissues from different oviductal segments were collected to observe the general histology, changes in the mRNA expression of IL-1β and TNF-, and the immunolocalization of these molecules. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to observe the changes in mRNA expression of these cytokines in the infundibulum, uterus, UVJ and vagina after insemination. Intact sperm in the lumen and between the primary or secondary folds of the vagina were found until 6 h after insemination but were degraded at 12 h. mRNA expression of IL-1β and TNF- was significantly increased in the vagina until 6 h after AI but remained unchanged in the other oviductal segments. In the tissue of the vagina and UVJ, positive cells for immunoreactive (ir)IL-1β and irTNF- were localized in the stroma and surface epithelium, respectively. The number of irIL-1β and irTNF- cells were increased in the vagina but almost unchanged in UVJ after insemination with semen. Significant changes were not observed in the mRNA expression and immunopositive cells for irIL-1β and irTNF- in the vagina after PBS or seminal plasma insemination. The increase of IL-1β and TNF- in the vagina may lead to sperm degradation and elimination by cilia of surface epithelium, whereas their lower levels in UVJ may permit sperm to survive in SST.