Profile of Endometrial Secretory Proteins in Repeat Breeder Jersey Crossbred Cows

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the endometrial secretory proteins in uterine flushing collected on day 12 of estrous cycle in 10 normal and 10 repeat breeder Jersey crossbred cows. In the estrous cycle preceding the one in which uterine flushing were to be collected, all the repeat breeder cows were evaluated by phenolsulphonphthalene dye test to exclude the possibility of ovarobursal adhesions and fallopian tube blockade, both of which are established reasons of repeat breeding. The total protein content in the uterine flushing was higher in normal than repeat breeder cows (9.9 ± 1.6 mg/ml vs. 7.6 ± 0.5 mg/ml). On SDS-PAGE analysis, six protein bands of molecular weight 41, 53, 63, 69, 85 and 91 kDa were recorded in all the normal, but only in 8 of the 10 repeat breeder cows. The remaining 2 repeat breeder cows revealed an absence of three proteins of 63, 69 and 91 kDa. In conclusion, a lower total protein content and/or absence of specific proteins could be a potential reason of repeat breeding.