Cl. Scudamore et al., MEASUREMENT BY ELISA OF EQUINE ALPHA-1-PROTEINASE INHIBITOR IN UTERINE FLUSHINGS FROM MARES, Research in Veterinary Science, 57(1), 1994, pp. 45-52
An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed and used to
estimate the concentrations of the serine proteinase inhibitor, alpha
(1) proteinase inhibitor (API), in uterine flushings recovered from ma
res at different stages of the oestrous cycle and before and after the
induction of experimental endometritis. There was a significant incre
ase in the concentrations of API and albumin relative to total protein
in flushings recovered during oestrus compared with dioestrus but no
difference was observed in the concentrations of these proteins relati
ve to total protein before and after the induction of endometritis. A
regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between the con
centrations of albumin and API in the flushings examined, suggesting t
hat the API was derived entirely from serum and was not produced local
ly in the uterus.