{
  "abstract": "The interaction between semen and the female reproductive tract is a critical step in fertilization and pregnancy establishment. In most mammals, insemination induces a transient inflammatory response in the uterus, but the specific semen constituent(s) responsible remain unclear. Using ex vivo and in vivo caprine models, we examined whether sperm and seminal plasma (SP) differentially regulate endometrial and systemic immune responses. Goat endometrial explants were co-cultured with increasing concentrations of sperm or SP for 0, 1, 3, or 6 h. Viable sperm and SP, but not heat-inactivated sperm, induced a rapid, dose-dependent, and transient pro-inflammatory response characterized by increased expression of TNFA, IL-1B, IL-6, and IL-8, together with reduced IL-4 and IL-10 transcript abundance. In vivo, estrus-synchronized nanny goats mated with fertile bucks showed time-dependent changes in serum cytokines and a pro-inflammatory response in peripheral blood cells, whereas non-mated controls showed no comparable changes. Mechanistically, semen exposure was associated with a selective increase in TLR2 mRNA expression in the endometrium, with only minor changes in TLR4, suggesting that TLR2 may contribute to semen-induced uterine immune activation in goats. Collectively, these findings indicate that semen constituents can prime the caprine endometrium toward a pro-inflammatory state and are consistent with a potential role for TLR2-associated signaling in reproductive tract immune modulation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, 65211 MO, USA",
    "Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt",
    "Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia",
    "Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia",
    "Department of Animal Health and Poultry, Animal and Poultry Production Division, Desert Research Center (DRC), Cairo 11753, Egypt",
    "Department of Development of Animal Wealth, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt",
    "Biology Department, College of Science and Humanities, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 83, Al-Kharj 11940, Saudi Arabia",
    "Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 400, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia",
    "Future-Leading and Advanced Graduate-Schools (FLAGs), Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8514, Japan"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 12,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Mohamed Aboul Ezz",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2832-9863"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Haifa Ali Alqhtani"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Huda A. Alqahtani",
      "orcid": "0009-0007-0766-6971"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Ahmed El-Sayed"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Ahmed Ateya"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Asmaa Darwish"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Fatmah A. Safhi",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0533-614X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Elham Mohammed Alzahrani"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Tahani M. I. Al-Hazani",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5002-9387"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Mohamed Marzok",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-7961-1247"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Abdelmonem Montaser"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8
      ],
      "name": "Akio Miyamoto"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/54k159pg2wy7b.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/biom16111541",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "54k159pg2wy7b",
  "issns": [
    "2218-273X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/16/11/1541",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1102|Reproductive Physiology in Livestock"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223173424",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-22",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/54k159pg2wy7b.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:59Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/biom16111541",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/16/11/1541"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:1102|Reproductive Physiology in Livestock",
      "subfield": "plant-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Semen Components Differentially Regulate Endometrial and Systemic Immune Responses in Goats: Molecular Evidence from Ex Vivo and In Vivo Models",
  "title_text": "Semen Components Differentially Regulate Endometrial and Systemic Immune Responses in Goats: Molecular Evidence from Ex Vivo and In Vivo Models",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:59Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/54k159pg2wy7b",
  "venue": "Biomolecules",
  "versions": []
}