En proteomisk utvärdering av olika metoder för att samla uterussekret hos sto

Abstract: This study was performed in order to evaluate if the method of collecting uterine secretion by the tampon-method is representative for use in studies of uterine secretions in mares. Uterine secretion collected by tampon in six mares was compared with secretion collected by aspiration, regarded to be a native sample, at the Institution of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SLU, Uppsala. Proteinanalysis was made at the Department of Farmaceutic Bioscience, toxicological unit, Uppsala University. Cytological smears and ultrasonography was used to assess if the tampon had caused an inflammatoric reaction that could influence the protein content of the samples. The results suggest that the tampon and aspirat method do not differ when it comes to proteinconcentration, but the distribution of proteins differ between these different collection methods. This difference could not likely be explained by means of proteins due to an inflammatory reaction from the tampon, since neither the cytological nor the ultrasonographical examination gave any indications of inflammation. It is therefore suggested that uterine secretions sampled by the tampon method should be interpreted with caution.