Aberrant development of mammary glands, but precocious expression of beta-casein in transgenic females ubiquitously expressing whey acidic protein transgene

It has been suggested that whey acidic protein (WAP) may function as a protease inhibitor. However, the actual function of WAP remains obscure. We investigated the histological development of the mammary glands of transgenic mice ubiquitously expressing WAP and CAG/WAP transgene. Ubiquitous expression of WAP induced aberrant development of the lobular alveoli of the mammary glands: mammary alveoli that were either aberrantly large or small in size increased in number in the developing mammary glands of these transgenic females during pregnancy and lactation. The expression of beta-casein was precociously induced in the mammary glands of the transgenic females during early pregnancy and accompanying this was a histological observation that abnormally developed lobular alveoli filled with milk proteins appeared in the mammary glands of transgenic females during early pregnancy. However, during lactation, the development of mammary glands was impaired in transgenic females. To investigate the possible paracrine action of WAP associated with mammary gland aberration, we transplanted the mammary tissue of CAG/EGFP transgenic females into the fat pad of virgin CAG/WAP transgenic females and initiated pregnancy by mating. The development of mammary tissue transplanted to the recipient was histologically examined on day 3 of lactation. The results revealed that the development of grafted mammary tissues was impaired in a manner similar to that of the mammary glands of CAG/WAP transgenic females, indicating that the inhibitory effect of WAP acts via a paracrine mechanism. In vitro experiments using HC11 cells with forced expression of exogenous WAP demonstrated the inhibitory function of WAP on proliferation of mammary epithelial cells.     

Immune cell differentiation in mammary gland tissues and milk of cows chronically infected with Staphylococcus aureus

This study identifies and compares the distribution of mononuclear cells in the mammary gland tissues and milk of healthy and chronically infected with Staphylococcus aureus cows. Somatic cell counts (SCCs) during the 3 months before the study were > 1 x 10(6) cell/ml in the infected quarters and < 1 x 10(5) cell/ml in the infection-free quarters. Immediately after slaughter, samples from the tissues above the gland cistern and supra-mammary lymph node were collected. No histological differences were found between the supra-mammary lymph nodes of the healthy and infected udders, and both appeared normal. In the milk of the healthy infection-free mammary glands, SCC was < 50,000 cells/ml) while epithelial cells were the predominant type. The percentage of CD18+ was low than 45%, of which over three-quarters were polymorphonuclear (PMN), and less than one- quarter were mononuclear cells. The later comprised CD4+ or CD8+ T-lymphocytes, macrophages (Mo) but not B-cells. In the tissues, there were few CD18+ leukocytes, and most of the cells were T-lymphocytes. The number of B-lymphocytes bearing CD21+ was similar to that of CD8+ and were localized in the connective tissue as clusters of 2-5 cells, mainly in areas with no alveoli, or as single cell having a dendritic like form. The number of Mos was negligible. In the milk of the infected glands, SCC exceeded 700,000 cells/ml, of which > 95% were CD18+ positive. The distribution of the leukocytes had two patterns: one presented (> 80%) of PMN cells and a small number of mononuclear cells; the second had less than 50% PMN and many mononuclear cells. The CD8+ cells in these infected sections were observed throughout the mammary epithelial cells (MEc) around the alveoli and in the alveolar lumen (AL). The numbers and the location of CD21+ B-lymphocytes were similar to those in the infection-free mammary glands. The number of CD5+ positive cells was lower than T and B- cells combined and were located throughout the mammary epithelial cells, around the alveoli and within the connective tissue. Mo numbers were high in most of those infected quarters, and were localized around the connective tissue and within the AL.     

LPS对小鼠乳腺组织中NF—KB、ACCa和β-CaseinmRNA表达的影晌

为探讨灌注不同质量浓度LPS对小鼠乳腺组织中NF-xB、ACCa和pCaseinmRNA表达的影响，选择30只雌性ICR小鼠为试验动物，受孕后随机分为试验组和对照组，试验组经第4对乳头灌注不同质量浓度LPS（0．1，5，10，50，100mg／L），对照组灌注生理盐水，于灌注后6h采集乳腺组织样品，组织学方法分析乳腺组织的病理变化；采用RT—PCR方法分析乳腺组织中NF_KB、ACCa和B—CaseinmRNA表达的变化。病理切片结果显示，随着LPS灌注浓度的增加，乳腺小叶间炎性细胞数量逐步增加，乳腺小叶内腺泡结构破坏程度也变大；对乳腺组织中NF-xB、ACCa和pCasein的mRNA表达水平进行分析时，发现灌注LPS小鼠乳腺组织中NF-KBmRNA的表达水平随着LPS灌注浓度的增加而逐步增加，而ACCa和pCaseinmRNA的表达水平则随着LPS灌注浓度的增加而逐步降低。结果表明，灌注LPS能够上调N-KBmRNA的表达，下调ACCa和肛CaseinmRNA的表达。     

Sexual dimorphism of the normal rat mammary gland.

Sexual dimorphism is a routinely encountered but previously unreported feature of the normal rat mammary gland. Forty male and 40 female F344 rats, 19 weeks of age, were examined retrospectively to document histologic differences that are very apparent when mammary glands of males and females of the same age are compared. Development of the mammary gland starts in utero, and there is reported to be little morphologic difference between males and females at birth. By 19 weeks of age, however, the differences are very noticeable. The mammary glands of females, comprised of scattered tubular ducts and alveolar structures that have distinct lumina lined, usually, by a single layer of cuboidal epithelium, are characterized as tubuloalveolar. In young males, mammary tissue is generally more florid than in females of the same age. There are, scattered within the hypodermis, larger, more contiguous, lobular groups of cells that are distinct for their lack of obvious tubular or ductal orientation. The cells, arranged into alveoli, are generally characterized by abundant, foamy, eosinophilic cytoplasm containing distinct, variably-sized vacuoles. Alveolar lumina are mostly indistinct but may contain evidence of secretory activity. To emphasize the importance of this difference, selected results of a routine toxicity study are discussed in which the mammary glands of male rats, exposed for 52 weeks to cis-N-(1-benzyl-2-methylpyrrolidin-3-yl)-5-chloro-2-methoxy-4- methyl-aminobenzamide, a reported dopamine antagonist, underwent distinctive histomorphologic changes. As a result of exposure to this compound, the lobuloalveolar structure described as normal for male rats assumed characteristics of a tubuloalveolar morphology indistinguishable from that seen in the unexposed females.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Zum Bau der Milchdrüse des Rindes während der Trockenstehperiode unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Involutionsprozesse

Light microscopical and histochemical investigations were performed on biopsies, which were obtained from the mammary glands of healthy pregnant cows during different stages of the nonlactating period. The results demonstrate characteristic morphological changes in the different phases of the nonlactating period. They can be interpreted as involution and regeneration processes, which occur in the alveoli and interalveolar tissue of the bovine mammary gland during the nonlactating period.     

Experimental staphylococcal mastitis in bitches: clinical, bacteriological, cytological, haematological and pathological features

The objectives of the work were to study the features of experimentally induced canine mastitis and to present hypotheses regarding the pathogenesis of the disease. The right caudal abdominal mammary gland of six bitches was inoculated on day 8 after whelping with Staphylococcus intermedius to induce mastitis; adjacent mammary glands were used as controls. Clinical examination, bacteriological and cytological (whiteside test, Giemsa) examination of mammary secretion, as well as haematological tests were performed from 5 days before until 34 days after challenge. Mastectomy was sequentially performed 1, 2, 4, 18, 26 and 34 days after challenge in each of the bitches, in order to carry out a pathological examination of mammary glands. All animals developed clinical mastitis: challenged glands became painful, hot, enlarged and oedematous; secretion was brownish, purulent, with flakes or clots, subsequently becoming yellowish and thick. Staphylococci were isolated from all inoculated glands (up to 22 days). WST was positive in 41/46 samples from inoculated glands and 66/138 samples from control glands; neutrophils predominated during the acute stage. Blood leukocyte counts increased, whilst platelet counts decreased. Gross pathological findings initially included congestion, purulent discharge and subcutaneous oedema; then abscesses, brownish areas and size decrease were seen. Salient histopathological features were initially neutrophilic infiltration, haemorrhages, destruction of mammary epithelial cells and alveoli, and then infiltration by lymphocytes, shrunken alveoli, loss of glandular architecture and fibrous tissue proliferation. We conclude that in bitches, intrammamary inoculation of Staphylococcus intermedius can induce clinical mastitis, followed by subclinical disease. The disorder is characterized by bacterial isolation and leukocyte influx in challenged glands, by leukocyte presence in adjacent mammary glands, by increased blood leukocyte counts and by destruction of mammary parenchyma.     

Research Progress on the Development of Mammary Glands

Mammary gland is a kind of exocrine glands and a dynamic organ.Structure of mammary gland changes throughout the female reproductive cycles.Development of mammary gland occurs in the defined stages that are closely linted to sexual development and reproduction, namely embryonic, prepubertal and pubertal stages, pregnancy, lactation and involution.In this review, the roles of epithelial-stromal (mesenchymal) interactions in embryonic and postnatal mammary development were summarized, elaborated the regulations of different kinds of hormones on the mammary development after pubertal stage, and described the discovery of mammary stem cell populations (MaSC) and selection markers of mice and human.The objective of this work was to learn the basic processes and potential regulation mechanisms of the mammary development to provide some help for the researchers in the field of mammary gland.     

乳腺发育的研究进展

乳腺属于外分泌腺的一种,在雌性动物生殖周期中呈动态性变化。乳腺的发育可根据动物性别发育和繁殖时期的不同分为胚胎期、青春期前期、青春期、妊娠期、泌乳期和退化期。作者总结了上皮-基质(间质)之间相互作用对胚胎时期及出生后动物个体乳腺发育的影响,详细阐述了乳腺不同发育阶段不同种类激素所发挥的调控作用,并针对小鼠、人乳腺干细胞的发现及标记物进行简要描述。本综述旨在清晰、深入地揭示乳腺发育的基本过程及潜在的调控机理,为进一步了解乳腺相关方面的研究工作提供参考资料。     

Differential immunolocalization between lingual antimicrobial peptide and lactoferrin in mammary gland of dairy cows

Lingual antimicrobial peptide (LAP), one of the β-defensins in bovines, and lactoferrin (LF) are synthesized in mammary epithelium and have bactericidal and bacteriostatic functions. However, it is not known whether they have similar expression patterns. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to compare (1) immunolocalization of LAP and LF in the mammary gland and (2) changes in concentration of these two components in milk after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Bovine mammary tissues without LPS challenge were collected and their sections were immunostained with antibodies to LAP or LF. Milk from our previous study was collected every hour up to 12h and twice daily from d 1 to 7 after LPS challenge (the day of infusion was considered as d 0). These milk samples were measured for LAP but not LF in our previous report. Therefore, concentration of LF was measured by enzyme immunoassay in the present study. Epithelial cells of some alveoli showed immunopositive reaction for LF, but negative for LAP. Conversely, some alveoli were LAP positive in their epithelial cells but LF negative. Many alveoli had immunoreactions for neither LAP nor LF. The concentration of LAP in milk was elevated significantly at 3h after LPS infusion compared with pre-infusion values and remained at a high level until 12h. However, LF concentration in milk remained low at d 0 and increased at d 2. These results suggest that LAP and LF were mostly differentially localized in the alveolar epithelium in mammary glands. The different spatial expressions between them may be associated with their different temporal expression mechanisms.     

Immunolocalization of lingual antimicrobial peptide (LAP) in the bovine mammary gland

Lingual antimicrobial peptide (LAP), a member of the β-defensin family in cows, is involved in the innate immune system and plays a crucial role in killing a large variety of microorganisms. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the immunolocalization of LAP in the mammary glands of cows. A LAP antibody was raised in a rabbit by immunity with a synthetic 11 amino acid sequence out of a 42-amino acid sequence of the mature form of LAP. The specificity of the LAP antibody was checked using a competitive immunoassay and Western blotting. Paraffin sections of the mammary gland were immunostained with LAP antibody. In the competitive immunoassay, an increase of synthetic LAP concentration suppressed the optical density. Western blotting analysis for LAP revealed the presence of the LAP peptide in mammary alveolar tissue. When the mammary gland was immunostained with LAP antibody, epithelial cells of both infected and non-infected alveoli were immunopositive. These results indicate that LAP is localized in the epithelium of non-infected as well as infected alveolus in the mammary gland in cows.     

CpG-ODN enhances mammary gland defense during mastitis induced by Escherichia coli infection in goats

Seven healthy native goats in early lactation, weighing 30–40 kg, were used in this study. The right mammary gland of the seven does were infused with CpG-ODN at a dosage of 100 μg kg⁻¹ body weight on the day 5 postpartum (PP). The left glands were used as controls and infused with sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). On day 8 PP, the same dosage of CpG-ODN or PBS was again infused. On day 9 PP, the mammary glands (both right and left) of the seven does were infused with 6 × 10⁶ colony-forming units (CFU) Escherichia coli and, at 0, 8, 16, 24, 48 and 72 h postinfection (PI), milk samples were collected from all glands. Goats were euthanized at 72 h PI and the mammary tissue harvested. Infusion with 6 × 10⁶ CFU ml⁻¹ E. coli induced acute mastitis. Histopathological evaluations showed that polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) were still present in alveoli at 72 h PI, but PMNs in the CpG-ODN-treated glands has disappeared. Bacteria counts in milk peaked at 16 h PI and CpG-ODN induced a significant decrease in viable bacteria from 16 h PI until the end of the experiment. This study showed that CpG-ODN promoted the expression of its specific receptor (TLR-9 mRNA) in mammary tissue, stimulated IL-6 production, reduced bacteria counts in milk, attenuated the impact of inflammation mediators on cells and significantly shortened the inflammation course. These results suggest that the CpG-ODN improved mammary gland defense and, thereby, had a beneficial effects against mastitis caused by E. coli infection in goats.     

乳腺生物反应器的研究和产业化进展

随着转基因技术的发展,利用乳腺生物反应器生产珍贵药用蛋白已成为一种极具潜力的生物技术,它为商业化前景广阔的药用蛋白提供了高产量、低成本的生产方式,开创了基因工程制药的新途径。目前,应用乳腺生物反应器已表达百余种药用蛋白,其中近30种进入临床试验不同阶段,用于治疗抗凝血酶缺乏症的抗凝血酶Ⅲ（ATryn^R）已上市,乳腺生物反应器生产重组蛋白显示出广阔的产业化前景。作者概述了乳腺生物反应器的原理、优点、国内外研究进展和产业化进程,讨论了其目前存在问题和应对策略。     

乳头管灌注脂多糖对兔血清酶活性的影响及病理组织学观察

探讨经乳头管灌注脂多糖(LPS)对兔血清酶活性的影响及乳腺病理组织学变化.12只泌乳兔(产后第7天)经乳头管灌注LPS(150 μg/kg体重)建立急性临床型乳房炎模型,在灌注前2 h,灌注后6、12、24、48、72 h以及5 d和7 d分别测定血清中乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)、髓过氧化物酶(MPO)、过氧化物酶(LP)及...     

Effect of milk stasis on Brucella abortus infection of the mammary gland in goats

To compare the effects of milk stasis and milk flow on Brucella abortus infection of the mammary gland under the same systemic conditions, primiparous goats (n = 5) were inoculated IV with B abortus on the day of parturition, and suckling by their neonates was restricted to one mammary gland. Goats were euthanatized and necropsied at 3 weeks after inoculation, and milk, mammary glands, and supramammary lymph nodes were evaluated by bacteriologic, histologic, and immunoenzymatic staining techniques. Nonnursed mammary glands had high titers of brucellae in milk, moderate interstitial mastitis, and brucellar antigen in macrophages located primarily in alveolar and ductal lumina. Brucellae often filled the macrophage cytoplasm. In contrast, nursed mammary glands had fewer brucellae in milk, minimal inflammatory changes, and no detectable brucellar antigen in histologic sections. Hyperplastic changes were only seen in supramammary lymph nodes draining nonnursed mammary glands; these contained more brucellae than lymph nodes draining nursed mammary glands. These studies show that milk stasis may be the sole cause of increased susceptibility of nonnursed mammary glands to B abortus infection.     

Low expression of the antibacterial factor L‐amino acid oxidase in bovine mammary gland

In the mouse, L‐amino acid oxidase (LAO) produces hydrogen peroxide by utilizing free amino acids and is a proven antibacterial factor in mammary glands. Mastitis, a bacterial infection of the mammary gland, is the most frequent disease in dairy cattle. Here, we investigate whether LAO is expressed in the mammary gland of dairy cattle and is antibacterial. In dairy cattle, the expression level of LAO mRNA in the mammary gland was considerably lower than that in mice, and LAO activity was not observed in cattle milk that produced hydrogen peroxide. The expression of LAO mRNA was also low in Japanese Black cattle, the same as in Holstein cattle. A higher LAO mRNA expression was observed in the mastitis glands than in the lactating glands. Furthermore, spleen and lymph nodes expressed high levels of LAO mRNA in dairy cattle. We conclude that mammary glands in dairy cattle have lower ability to express the LAO gene compared to that in mice, which may result in a high incidence of mastitis.     

乳腺中脂肪细胞的转化和更迭

雌性动物的乳腺组织是由胚胎时期的外胚层发育而来,出生时只有少量导管和皮下基质结构,而后在性成熟、妊娠和泌乳期乳腺发育达到峰值,这一特点使乳腺成为出生后唯一可以重复再生的器官。在乳腺发育到退化的循环中,乳腺的上皮细胞、基质白色脂肪细胞、棕色脂肪细胞和肌上皮细胞经历了一系列转化和更迭,脂肪细胞的动态转化反映了乳腺的功能变化。研究乳腺细胞的转化和更迭与母畜的泌乳直接相关,对延续母畜的生产效率有重要意义。本文就乳腺中脂肪细胞转化方面的最新研究进展进行综述,为深度揭示乳腺发育过程中细胞更迭的机制提供前沿研究信息。     

Effects of coumestrol administration to maternal mice during pregnancy and lactation on immunoblogulin A‐secreting cells in mammary glands

Mortality and morbidity of neonates continue to be major problems in humans and animals, and immunoblogulin A (IgA) provides protection against microbial antigens at mucosal surfaces. The present study was conducted to clarify the effects of coumestrol administration to maternal mice during pregnancy and lactation on IgA antibody‐secreting cells (ASC) in mammary glands in lactating mice. From 6.5 to 16.5 days post coitus and 1 to 13 days post partum (dpp), maternal mice were administered coumestrol at 200 μg/kg body weight/day. Coumestrol administration increased the number of IgA ASC and the messenger RNA expression of IgA C‐region and vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 in mammary glands of maternal mice at 14 dpp, but coumestrol administration had no effect on the number of IgA ASC in the ileum. Coumestrol administration increased serum IgA concentration in maternal mice at 14 dpp, but IgA concentrations in serum, stomach contents, intestine and feces of neonatal mice were not affected by treatment. These results imply that coumestrol administration to maternal mice during pregnancy and lactation is effective in increasing the numbers of IgA ASC in mammary glands during lactation owing to the activated messenger RNA expressions of IgA C‐region and vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 in mammary gland.     

泌乳周期中外源物质对大鼠乳腺内肥大细胞数量的影响及乳腺组织内组胺含量的研究

选择泌乳期和静止期大鼠，经乳腺局部（乳导管）或外周（跖部皮下）注射辣根过氧化物酶（HRP）后，应用改良甲苯胺蓝染色法（MTB）对乳腺及其引流（鼠蹊部）和非引流（腘）淋巴结内的肥大细胞数量变化进行了研究，用荧光测定改良法检测了乳腺组织中组胺含量。结果显示，对照组乳腺及引流和非引流淋巴结内的肥大细胞数量均为静止期显著多于泌乳期（P〈0．01），乳腺中组胺含量也呈相同的变化趋势。在泌乳期从不同部位引人HRP后，乳腺及乳腺引流淋巴结内肥大细胞数量明显增多，与对照组相比差异极显著（P〈0．01）；而乳腺非引流淋巴结内肥大细胞数量则略有减少，与对照组相比差异不显著（P〉0．05）。在静止期从不同部位引人HRP后，乳腺及乳腺非引流淋巴结内肥大细胞数均减少，而乳腺引流淋巴结内的肥大细胞数则随引人部位不同而有差别：乳腺引人时增加，而外周引入时减少。本研究结果表明肥大细胞数量随生理周期的改变而增减的趋势与乳腺的发育、乳腺局部免疫状态及内分泌调节都有关系，而且不同泌乳阶段乳腺内肥大细胞对异物的易感性也存在差异。