According to our previous reports, impaired oocyte pickup was observed in the oviductal infundibulum of an autoimmune disease (AD) mouse model, suggesting a relationship between female infertility and AD. This study examines the relationship between AD and infundibulum morphofunction by focusing on the epithelial cilia. Healthy MRL/MpJ and AD-prone MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr mice were examined at 3 and 6 months of age, representing early and late disease stages, respectively. Oocyte pickup indices decreased with AD progression indicated by splenomegaly, autoantibody production and increased T cell counts of infundibulum mucosa in MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr mice. Ciliary beating frequency (CBF) and height in the infundibulum were faster and higher in MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr mice than in MRL/MpJ mice at the early AD stages, although the absolute CBF values were lower at the late AD stage. At the late stage, ciliary height did not differ between mouse lines but the morphological index of cilia beating direction indicated randomized patterns in MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr mice. The tracheal mucosa was also examined as a representative example of cilia morphology; its CBF decreased at the late AD stage in MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr; however, there were no AD-related morphological changes. Our results demonstrate altered cilia motility in systemic and reproductive organs, with such morphological changes of the infundibulum likely impairing function, including oocyte pickup.

中文翻译：

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系统性自身免疫性疾病易发 MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr 小鼠输卵管漏斗部的纤毛形态功能改变

根据我们之前的报告，在自身免疫性疾病 (AD) 小鼠模型的输卵管漏斗中观察到卵母细胞拾取受损，表明女性不育与 AD 之间存在关系。本研究通过关注上皮纤毛来检查 AD 与漏斗部形态功能之间的关系。健康 MRL/MpJ 和 AD 倾向 MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr 小鼠在 3 和 6 个月大时进行检查，分别代表早期和晚期疾病阶段。MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr 小鼠的脾肿大、自身抗体产生和漏斗部黏膜 T 细胞计数增加表明 AD 进展表明卵母细胞拾取指数下降。在 AD 早期，MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr 小鼠的睫状体搏动频率 (CBF) 和漏斗部高度比 MRL/MpJ 小鼠更快和更高，尽管在 AD 晚期绝对 CBF 值较低。在后期，纤毛高度在小鼠品系之间没有差异，但纤毛搏动方向的形态学指数表明 MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr 小鼠的随机模式。还检查了气管粘膜作为纤毛形态的代表性例子；其CBF在MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr的AD晚期降低；然而，没有与 AD 相关的形态学变化。我们的结果表明全身和生殖器官中纤毛运动的改变，漏斗的这种形态变化可能会损害功能，包括卵母细胞的拾取。还检查了气管粘膜作为纤毛形态的代表性例子；其CBF在MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr的AD晚期降低；然而，没有与 AD 相关的形态学变化。我们的结果表明全身和生殖器官中纤毛运动的改变，漏斗的这种形态变化可能会损害功能，包括卵母细胞的拾取。还检查了气管粘膜作为纤毛形态的代表性例子；其CBF在MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr的AD晚期降低；然而，没有与 AD 相关的形态学变化。我们的结果表明全身和生殖器官中纤毛运动的改变，漏斗的这种形态变化可能会损害功能，包括卵母细胞的拾取。