Extracellular vesicles in low volume uterine lavage and serum: novel and promising biomarker for endometritis in Arabian mares.
Authors: Ibrahim Sally, Hedia Mohamed, Taqi Mohamed O, Derbala Mohamed K, Mahmoud Karima Gh M, Ahmed Youssef, Sosa A S, Saber Yasser H A, Hasanain M H, Nawito M F, Seidel George E
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Extracellular Vesicles as Biomarkers for Equine Endometritis Endometritis remains a significant reproductive challenge in Arabian mares, yet early detection remains difficult with current diagnostic approaches. Researchers isolated extracellular vesicles (EVs)—small membrane-bound particles released by cells—from both low-volume uterine lavage fluid and serum in healthy mares and those with clinical endometritis, using serial ultracentrifugation and commercial isolation kits to characterise their size, quantity and protein expression patterns. Mares with endometritis demonstrated markedly elevated EV concentrations alongside increased particle size, with differential expression of the surface markers CD9 and CD63 compared to healthy controls; additionally, these affected mares showed heightened systemic inflammatory mediator levels. These findings suggest that EV profiling—particularly the assessment of marker proteins and particle size distribution—could serve as a rapid, objective diagnostic tool for identifying endometritis, potentially enabling earlier intervention and improved breeding outcomes. The dual detection in both uterine fluid and serum is particularly valuable, as serum sampling offers a non-invasive alternative to lavage procedures, making this approach practically viable for field-based reproductive assessment.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Extracellular vesicle profiling (size, quantity, marker expression) may offer a novel diagnostic biomarker for endometritis that could supplement or potentially replace traditional diagnostic methods
- •This approach could enable earlier detection of subclinical endometritis, allowing earlier intervention during breeding season when fertility is critical
- •Further validation is needed before clinical application, but this represents a promising non-invasive or minimally-invasive diagnostic option
Key Findings
- •Mares with endometritis released significantly higher amounts of larger-sized extracellular vesicles in low volume uterine lavage and serum compared to control mares
- •Extracellular vesicles from endometritic mares showed differential expression of CD9 and CD63 surface markers
- •Endometritis was associated with elevated levels of inflammatory mediators in both lavage fluid and serum