A comparative analysis of the intrauterine transcriptome in fertile and subfertile mares using cytobrush sampling

Abstract Background Subfertility is a major problem in modern horse breeding. Especially, mares without clinical signs of reproductive diseases, known uterine pathogens and no evidence inflammation but not becoming pregnant after several breeding attempts are challenging for veterinarians. To obtain new insights into the cause these fertility problems aiming at improving diagnosis subfertile mares, comparative analysis intrauterine transcriptome fertile was performed. Uterine cytobrush samples were collected during estrus from 57 diseases. RNA extracted 11 selected used Illumina RNA-sequencing. Results The sampling suitable technique to isolate enough high quality analysis. Comparing 114 differentially expressed genes (FDR = 10%) identified. Metascape enrichment revealed that with lower mRNA levels related ‘extracellular matrix (ECM)’, ‘ECM-receptor interaction’, ‘focal adhesion’, ‘immune response’ ‘cytosolic calcium ion concentration’, while DEGs higher enriched ‘monocarboxyl acid transmembrane transport activity’ ‘protein targeting’. Conclusion Our study significant differences between provides leads potential molecular biomarkers subfertility mare.