Global Endometrial Gene Expression During Simulated Diestrus, Estrus and Anestrus in the Bitch

It has been shown in an in vivo canine pyometra disease model that the disease can only be induced reliably if E. coli is inoculated into the uterus during simulated diestrus; inoculation during simulated estrus or anestrus does not cause pyometra. These observations raise the possibility that the uterine immune response may differ during different stages of the estrous cycle. The objectives of this study were to characterize differences in host immune defences at different stages of the estrous cycle in order to elucidate the differences in disease susceptibility in relation to ovarian hormone concentrations. [...]