Evaluation of cytokines and sialic acids contents in horses naturally infected with Theileria equi

This study was undertaken to assess the effects of T. equi infection on serum concentrations of some important cytokines including interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-1α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12α, IL-12β, IL-18, as well as total, protein and lipid binding sialic acids (TSA, PBSA and LBSA). Furthermore, any probable relation among the parasitemia, cytokines and sialic acids (SAs) were calculated using Pearson correlation and simple linear regression. Almost 300 draft horses (Kurdish-breed) with age of 3–4 years old from north-west of Iran were examined and an infected group comprised of 28 mares, naturally infected with T. equi, was identified and divided into 3 subgroups according to their parasitemia rates (low <1 %, moderate 1–3 % and high 3–5 %). Twenty healthy horses were considered as a control. Characterization and differentiation of piroplasmosis were conducted using routine hematological procedures and specific PCR assay. The results revealed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in all of the cytokines and SAs in a parasitic burden-dependent fashion. Additionally, a strong and positive relation was detected among the parasitemia, cytokines and SAs. Conclusively, T. equi infection is associated with induction of severe inflammatory processes in horses and SA plays a pivotal role in pathophysiology of the disease as it is tightly correlated with the parasitemia rate.     

Cytokine profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with cystic echinococcosis

IntroductionCystic echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic zoonotic disease caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus), which affects domestic and wild carnivores as the definitive host and ungulates as intermediate hosts. In intermediate hosts, both Th1 and Th2 cells are involved in the immune responses to an echinoccocal infection. This study aimed to investigate production of IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of CE patients before and after surgical treatment.MethodsTo evaluate cytokine production in response to E. granulosus antigens, we investigated IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ production in PBMCs of 20 CE patients in response to hydatid cyst fluid antigen (HCF-Ag) before and after surgical treatment using ELISA.ResultsThe mean IL-4 production from HCF-Ag stimulated PBMCs was significantly decreased (p < 0.05), while IFN-γ was significantly increased in HCF-Ag stimulated PBMCs in patients after surgery (p = 0.005).Furthermore, our results showed that there is no significant difference between IL-10 production in patients before and after treatment (p = 0.562).ConclusionsOur data Indicated production of IL-4 in cultured PBMCs of CE patients stimulated with HCF-Ag was decreased significantly. While, production of IFN-γ was increased significantly in responses to HCF Ag after surgery. We concluded that the evaluation of IL-4 and IFN-γ in HCF-Ag stimulated PBMCs of CE patients should be considered as a useful marker in the follow up of patients with cystic echinococcosis.     

The Effects of Selenium Source on Measures of Selenium Status of Mares and Selenium Status and Immune Function of Their Foals

The effect of organic and inorganic sources of selenium (Se) on measures of Se status of mares and their foals, Se concentrations of colostrum and milk, and indices of immune function of foals was studied. Twenty late-gestation Standardbred mares were randomly assigned to one of two groups. All mares received an identical balanced ration, except for the source of supplementary Se: one group received organic Se (Se yeast) and the other group received inorganic Se (sodium selenite), fed to deliver 0.3 mg/kg supplementary Se based on total ration dry matter. Mares received the experimental diet from 2 months before estimated due date until 1 month after foaling. Source of Se did not affect Se concentrations in maternal plasma, red blood cells, colostrum, or milk. At 1 month of age, foals from mares fed organic Se had higher red blood cell Se concentration than foals from mares fed inorganic Se (P < .05). Measures of immunity included serum immunoglobulin G concentration, lymphocyte proliferation in response to concanavalin A, and relative cytokine gene expression of stimulated lymphocytes (interferon gamma [IFNγ], interleukin [IL]-2, IL-5, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNFα]) and neutrophils (IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, TNFα). Relative gene expression of IL-2, TNFα, and IFNγ by foal lymphocytes was associated with the source of Se supplementation provided to the mares. We conclude that the source of dietary Se provided to mares may influence the immune function of foals at 1 month of age through changes in relative gene expression of certain lymphocyte cytokines.     

Cloning and expression of pigeon IFN-γ gene

This is the first paper describing the cloning of pigeon IFN-γ gene (PiIFN-γ) and the analysis of the in vitro expressed recombinant protein. The PiIFN-γ gene was identified by RT-PCR as a 498 bp, fragment coding for a precursor protein of 165 amino acids instead of 164 amino acids, as observed in the other avian species. The recombinant protein was expressed in vitro by an eukaryotic system and the biological properties of the cytokine were tested using a chicken macrophage cell line. The high degree of amino acid and nucleotide identity, shared with the ChIFN-γ, and the fact that the pigeon protein was functional on chicken cells, indicates a cross-reactivity between pigeon and chicken IFN-γ. The detection of the PiIFN-γ could represent an useful instrument in understanding the role played by this cytokine in immune response related to vaccinations and infectious diseases in the pigeon.     

Immunostimulatory effects of natural human interferon-alpha (huIFN-α) on carps Cyprinus carpio L.

Human interferon-α (huIFN-α) is an important immunomodulatory substance used in the treatment and prevention of numerous infectious and immune-related diseases in animals. However, the immunostimulatory effects of huIFN-α in fish remain to be investigated. In the current study, the immune responses of the carp species Cyprinus carpio L. to treatment with huIFN-α were analyzed via measurement of superoxide anion production, phagocytic activity and the expression of cytokine genes including interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 10. Low doses of huIFN-α were administered orally once a day for 3 days, and sampling was carried out at 1, 3 and 5 days post-treatment. Our results indicate that a low dose of huIFN-α significantly increased phagocytic activity and superoxide anion production in the carp kidney. The huIFN-α-treated fish also displayed a significant upregulation in cytokine gene expression. The current study demonstrates the stimulatory effects of huIFN-α on the carp immune system and highlights the immunomodulatory role of huIFN-α in fish.     

Molecular cloning of canine interleukin-31 and its expression in various tissues

The newly discovered cytokine, interleukin-31 (IL-31), belongs to the short-chain cytokine group. It was reported that transgenic expression of IL-31-induced pruritus, similar to atopic dermatitis, in mice, further, excessive amounts of IL-31 was also expressed in the skin from human patients with atopic dermatitis as compared to that from normal people. In this study, canine IL-31 was molecularly cloned from concanavalin A-stimulated canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and its nucleotide sequence was determined. Canine IL-31 contains 4 alpha-helix structures characteristic of the IL-31 family, and the amino acid identity of canine IL-31 with those of human or mouse is 54% and 28%, respectively. Furthermore, we detected low levels of canine IL-31 in the thymus, testis, spleen, and kidneys, but not in the skin of atopic dogs.     

细胞因子对绵羊体外受精胚胎发育的影响

绵羊卵巢采自乌鲁木齐市屠宰场，卵母细胞体外成熟24－25h后，由体外获能的附睾精子授精，50h后，将卵裂至2－8细胞的绵羊胚胎移入添加了不同浓度细胞因子的培养液中继续培养，结果表明，加入5、10、15μg/ml胰岛素（Insulin)分别得到17.46%、23.81%、22.95%的囊胚率，与对照组9.52%相比差异显著（P＜0.05)。高浓度（500μg/ml)的粒细胞巨噬细胞集落刺激因子（Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor,GM-CSF)可获得21.82%的囊胚率，与对照组7.27%相比差异显著（P＜0.05)。胚胎培养液中分别加入10、100、500ng/ml的白细胞介素－3（Interleukin-3,IL-3)、白细胞介素－8（IL－8）和神经生长因子（Nuclear growth factor,NGF)与对照组相比，囊胚率差异不显著。本研究表明，胰岛素、GM－CSF对绵羊体外受精胚胎早期发育有促进作用，IL－3、IL－8、NGF对绵羊胚胎的早期发育无明显作用。     

Effect of maternal restraint stress during gestation on temporal lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroendocrine and immune responses of progeny

The impact of gestational dam restraint stress on progeny immune and neuroendocrine temporal hormone responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge was assessed. Maternal stress (5-min snout snare restraint stress during days 84 to 112 of gestation) increased (P < 0.05) the magnitude of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-6, epinephrine (E), norepinephrine, and serum amyloid A (SAA) production following LPS infusion in the offspring. Moreover, these effects appear to be dependent on gender for TNF-α, E, and cortisol production. However, maternal stress did not affect (P > 0.05) the normalization of proinflammatory cytokines or neuroendocrine hormones produced following LPS. Collectively, these results indicate that maternal stress impacts aspects of the proinflammatory cytokine and stress hormone response in their progeny following LPS dosing of the offspring. This response is potentially responsible in part for the resultant changes to SAA production. Because several of the changes observed here are dependent on pig gender, these results are also the first evidence that inherent epigenetic factors coupled with maternal stress impact the cumulative response to stress and LPS in young pigs.     

An immunohistochemical study of the tonsils in pigs with acute African swine fever virus infection

An immunohistochemical study of the tonsils was carried out to gain further insight in the pathogenesis of acute African swine fever (ASF). Twenty-one pigs were inoculated by intramuscular route with a highly virulent isolate of ASF virus and painlessly killed at 1-7dpi. Viral antigen was highly distributed in the tonsil from 3 to 4dpi and an increase in the number of monocyte-macrophages was very evident at the same days post inoculation. This phenomenon was observed together with an increase of the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (Tumour necrosis factor alpha and Interleukin-1 alpha) and the apoptosis of lymphocytes studied by the terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) technique and haemorrhages. With these results, we can conclude that the tonsil is suffering similar lesions than those observed in other lymphoid organs in acute African swine fever, even when the route of inoculation is the intramuscular and not oral-nasal.     

Leukemia inhibitory factor protein and receptors are expressed in the bovine adrenal cortex and increase cortisol and decrease adrenal androgen release

The release of adrenal steroids during acute stress is primarily regulated by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). In contrast, during chronic inflammatory stress additional factors are involved in regulating adrenal function. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that increases ACTH release from the pituitary. In addition, LIF and LIF receptors (LIFR) are expressed in the human adrenal cortex and the human adrenocortical tumor cell line H295R. Furthermore, LIF increases basal and ACTH-stimulated cortisol release from H295R cells. However, the expression of LIF and LIFR in non-human adrenal glands and the effects of LIF on the release of cortisol from adrenal cells of non-human species have not been determined. Furthermore, the effects of LIF on adrenal androgen release from all species are unknown. In this study, immunohistochemistry, Western blots, RT-PCR, and nucleotide sequencing was utilized to demonstrate that LIF and its receptor are expressed throughout the bovine adrenal cortex. Although LIF did not modify basal cortisol release from dispersed cells isolated from the bovine adrenal zona fasciculate, this cytokine increased ACTH-stimulated release of cortisol from these cells in a manner dependent on the LIF concentration and exposure interval. In contrast, LIF in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner decreased basal and ACTH-stimulated adrenal androgen release from dispersed cells isolated from the bovine adrenal zona reticularis. Because LIF release increases during inflammatory stress and this cytokine stimulates adrenal cortisol release and inhibits adrenal androgen release, this cytokine may play an important role in regulating the release of adrenal steroids during inflammatory stress.