Isolation and immunological detection of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in sheep with atypical pneumonia, and lack of a role for Mycoplasma arginini

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae NCTC 10151(T) and four new isolates from UK sheep flocks were compared. Only glucose and pyruvate were used as energy sources by the five strains: glucose was the best energy source for the type strain, pyruvate supported better growth of the new strains. Whole cell protein patterns and antigenic profiles showed high similarity between all five strains. The new isolates fell into two groups in ELISA tests. Serum samples from 30 pneumonic sheep were assessed for M. ovipneumoniae infection and Mycoplasma arginini co-infection. Fourteen (out of 30) serum samples were positive for M. ovipneumoniae both by ELISA and immunoblotting. Twelve antigenic proteins of M. ovipneumoniae were detected in infected serum samples: the antigen patterns were unique, with between one and at least seven occurring in any one sample. All serum samples were designated as negative for M. arginini antibodies by both ELISA and immunoblotting.     

Experimental infection of sheep with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and Pasteurella haemolytica

A group of Caesarian-derived, colostrum-deprived lambs was inoculated intranasally and intratracheally with a virulent Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae isolate selected from ovine mammary studies and propagated in an ovine mammary gland. Other groups of lambs were inoculated with M. ovipneumoniae in combination with Pasteurella haemolytica type Al or P. haemolytica alone. The M. ovipneumoniae isolate alone did not induce any specific pneumonic lesions in the lambs and when combined with P. haemolytica type Al did not increase the severity of the P. haemolytica-type lesions. Fifty percent of lambs inoculated with P. haemolytica developed a purulent and exudative bronchopneumonia with pleurisy and high titres of P. haemolytica were recovered from these lesions.     

绵羊肺炎支原体感染羊细胞因子的动态变化

为检测绵羊在感染绵羊肺炎支原体(MO)前后细胞因子的含量变化情况,将6只巴什拜羊和6只盘羊杂交羊人工感染MO,在感染前后分别采集静脉血,分离血清,用ELISA方法检测IL-1β、TNF-α、IL-8、IL-10及IFN-γ含量。结果显示:两组羊在感染后IL-1β浓度均升高,第21天巴什拜羊的IL-1β含量降低,且显著低于杂交羊(P0.05);感染后两组的TNF-α含量逐渐升高,第14~21天巴什拜羊TNF-α含量开始下降,且第14天显著低于杂交羊(P0.05),第21天极显著低于杂交羊(P0.01);感染后第14和21天,巴什拜羊的IL-8含量开始下降,而杂交羊则继续升高,且杂交羊IL-8含量均极显著高于巴什拜羊(P0.01);两组羊的IL-10含量在第5天达到最高,且杂交羊极显著高于巴什拜羊(P0.01),而第14和21天巴什拜羊显著(P0.05)和极显著(P0.01)高于杂交羊;感染后两组羊的IFN-γ含量逐渐升高,第14~21天,巴什拜羊的IFN-γ含量开始下降,而杂交羊则继续升高,第14和21天巴什拜羊显著(P0.05)和极显著(P0.01)低于杂交羊。结果提示:绵羊感染MO前后细胞因子变化明显,巴什拜羊和杂交羊细胞因子变化也有差异,这对研究支原体肺炎发病机理及免疫治疗有指导意义。     

Seroepidemiological survey of sheep flocks from Northern Japan for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and Mycoplasma agalactiae

Sheep flocks from Hokkaido, Iwate and Aomori, three northern prefectures of Japan, were screened for antibodies to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and Mycoplasma agalactiae by ELISA. Sixty four animals out of 246 (26%) were seropositive to M. ovipneumoniae, with positive results obtained from all three prefectures. None of the sera tested were serologically positive to M. agalactiae.     

绵羊肺炎支原体、丝状支原体山羊亚种和精氨酸支原体多重PCR检测方法的建立及应用

根据GenBank登陆的绵羊肺炎支原体(MO)、丝状支原体山羊亚种(MmC)和精氨酸支原体(M.arg)的相关基因序列,分别设计了扩增MO hsp70基因、MmC hsp70基因和M.arg ADI基因片段的特异性引物,通过对反应条件和反应体系的优化,建立了MO、MmC和M.arg的多重PCR检测方法。特异性试验结果显示:该方法能同时扩增出MO 703bp、MmC 385bp和M.arg223bp的特异性目的片段,而对其他病原的DNA扩增为阴性。敏感性试验结果显示:该方法对这3种支原体的最低核酸检出量均为10pg。55份临床样品检测结果表明:三重PCR检测结果与分离培养诊断方法一致,均能检测出样品中的病原菌。本试验建立的多重PCR方法能为MO、MmC和M.arg的感染提供正确快速诊断方法。     

感染绵羊肺炎支原体前后绵羊血清中相关细胞因子的动态检测

为研究绵羊感染绵羊肺炎支原体(Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae,MO)前后体内细胞因子含量的变化,将6只盘羊杂交羊和6只巴什拜羊人工感染MO,在感染前后采集静脉血,分离血清,用ELISA方法检测IL-5、IL-9、IL-12及IL-13含量。结果显示:2组羊在感染后IL-5浓度均升高,第7(P0.05)、14(P0.01)和21天(P0.01)盘羊杂交羊IL-5含量显著和极显著高于巴什拜羊;感染后第7(P0.01)、14(P0.01)和21天(P0.05)盘羊杂交羊的IL-9浓度极显著和显著地高于巴什拜羊;在感染后的第7(P0.05)、14(P0.01)和第21天(P0.01),盘羊杂交羊的IL-12浓度显著和极显著地高于巴什拜羊;在感染后的第5(P0.05)、7(P0.05)、14(P0.01)和21天(P0.01),IL-13浓度巴什拜羊显著和极显著低于盘羊杂交羊。结果表明:绵羊感染MO前后血清中IL-5、IL-9、IL-12及IL-13的浓度有明显变化,巴什拜羊和盘羊杂交羊的上述细胞因子变化也有显著差异,这对研究支原体肺炎发病机理及临床诊断有指导意义。     

绵羊支原体肺炎中不同甘露(聚)糖结合凝集素基因型对肺组织病变的影响

为建立不同甘露(聚)糖结合凝集素(MBL)基因型绵羊支原体肺炎的动物疾病模型,本研究选择MBL外显子1中4种不同基因型共32只绵羊作为试验组,6只健康羊作为对照组,在人工感染绵羊肺炎支原体3周后全部迫杀,取肺脏组织做病理切片,以组织病理学评分确定肺部的炎症反应程度.不同MBL型绵羊的肺脏呈现不同程度病理改变,组织病理学评分结果为MBLA型和B型平均分为18.3和19.1,表现为重度病变;MBLD型平均分为12.3,为中度病变;MBL C型平均分为8.9,为轻度病变.本研究以组织病理学评分方法客观量化了不同MBL基因型肺部炎症反应的严重程度,根据评分结果推测MBL A型和B型为易感型,C型为抗性型.本研究利用组织病理学评分方法对其肺炎程度进行量化评价,为筛选绵羊支原体肺炎抗性基因型提供依据.     

巴什拜羊、盘羊杂交羊重组SP-A蛋白对体外培养MO增殖的影响

为研究巴什拜羊和盘羊杂交羊的重组肺表面活性物质相关蛋白A(rSP-A)对体外培养的绵羊肺炎支原体(MO)增殖的影响,本研究利用不同浓度(10μg/mL、20μg/mL和40μg/mL)巴什拜羊和盘羊杂交羊的rSP-A添加于MO培养液中进行体外培养,采用平板菌落计数和荧光定量PCR方法检测其对MO增殖的影响。平板菌落计数结果显示,巴什拜羊的3个rSP-A浓度组菌落数分别比对照组减少了8.35%(p>0.05)、23.04%(p<0.05)和40.03%(p<0.01);盘羊杂交羊的3个rSP-A浓度组菌落数分别比对照组减少了6.73%(p>0.05)、21.74%(p<0.05)和37.11%(p<0.01)。荧光定量PCR检测结果显示,添加rSP-A培养4h后MO16SrRNA基因拷贝数降至最低,巴什拜羊3个rSP-A浓度组16SrRNA基因拷贝数比对照组下降了72.15%(p<0.05)、78.81%(p<0.01)、81.48%(p<0.01);盘羊杂交羊的3个rSP-A浓度组的MO16SrRNA基因拷贝数比对照组下降了26.26%(p>0.05)、76.62%(p<0.01)、80.83%(p<0.01)。研究表明,巴什拜羊和盘羊杂交羊的rSP-A对体外培养的MO具有明显的抑制作用。本研究比较了不同品种羊SP-A蛋白在抗MO感染中的作用,为进一步研究盘羊杂交羊易感MO的分子作用机制奠定基础。     

A study of the heterogeneity of isolates of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae from sheep in New Zealand.

To investigate the heterogeneity of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, sixty isolates from three sheep on each of twenty farms were examined by restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) and SDS-PAGE. All were found to be different except for three isolates obtained from one farm. The protein and REA patterns of individual isolates were both highly reproducible and remained unchanged following long term passage (approximately 400 generations) in vitro. No plasmids were detected in the twelve strains which were examined and when two isolates were co-cultured in vitro, no genetic interchange, as judged by changes in REA patterns were detected. Since the heterogeneity of M. ovipneumoniae when examined by SDS-PAGE is too great to allow groups to be recognised, it could be advantageous for this purpose if only surface proteins were compared. As a preliminary step to this end we have identified several surface proteins of M. ovipneumoniae and found that some are common to all strains, one surface protein was shared by five of the eight strains examined and another was unique to one strain. This approach has the potential to allow the recognition of grouping of M. ovipneumoniae isolates.     

血清中不同甘露(聚)糖结合凝集素浓度的绵羊感染绵羊肺炎支原体后免疫因子表达的变化

为研究中国美利奴羊不同甘露(聚)糖结合凝集素(MBL)浓度感染绵羊肺炎支原体(MO)的免疫因子水平变化,本研究选择血清中MBL高、低浓度的绵羊各6只(感染组和对照组各3只),感染组人工感染MO,分别在人工感染前和感染后不同时间,采用荧光定量PCR法检测血液中血清因子及补体表达水平。结果显示,不同MBL浓度的绵羊人工感染后MBL m RNA水平呈下降趋势,MBL高浓度促炎因子IL-2和IFN-γ的m RNA表达水平较高,抗炎因子IL-4的m RNA表达水平在感染后1 d升高,此后开始下降,而IL-4的m RNA水平在14 d后有所升高;MBL低浓度羊感染后其TNF-α的m RNA水平显著升高,随炎症的缓解,逐渐降低;补体C1和C3的m RNA在感染后表现出不同的变化,MO感染可以激活补体途径。本研究结果表明,低血清MBL浓度与绵羊支原体肺炎具有一定的相关性,MBL不同浓度组之间其IL-2、IL-4、TNF-α、IFN-γ、补体C1、C3水平存在差异,低浓度MBL的绵羊更易发生比较严重的炎症反应。     

Chronic non-progressive pneumonia of sheep in New Zealand - a review of the role of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae

Chronic non-progressive pneumonia (CNP) is a common disease which affects lambs in New Zealand during late summer and autumn. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae can be recovered from a high proportion of lesions but it is also present in some normal lungs. Bacteria, especially Pasteurella haemolytica, can also be recovered from more than half the lungs of affected animals. Isolates of M. ovipneumoniae are genetically heterogeneous, as demonstrated by examination of their DNA or total cellular proteins, and are serologically heterogeneous as shown by metabolic inhibition tests. The number of strains present in New Zealand is large and several distinguishable strains can be recovered from each affected lung. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae has pathogenic potential as indicated by its ability to produce hydrogen peroxide, cause ciliostasis and by its possession of a capsule. Chronic non-progressive pneumonia can be transmitted consistently to over 50% of lambs by inoculation of pooled pneumonic lung homogenate and transmission can be suppressed by broad spectrum antibiotics. In contrast, penicillin does not prevent the development of lesions but diminishes their severity. Pooled lung homogenate treated with digitonin, which inactivates mycoplasmas, has failed to transmit CNP. Pure cultures of M. ovipneumoniae produce only mild lesions in some animals, whereas inoculation with pooled lung homogenate (from which no viruses were isolated) containing mixed strains of M. ovipneumoniae and free from bacteria, is more effective in producing lesions. Research work to date suggests that CNP may be initiated by colonisation of the lung by M. ovipneumoniae which causes ciliostasis and elicits an exudate allowing colonisation of the lungs by bacteria especially M. haemolytica and by other strains of M. ovipneumoniae. The immune response to the initial strain of M. ovipneumoniae may inhibit its replication but would be less effective in inhibiting heterologous strains of the organism allowing their sequential replication. Eventually production of a broad immune response to M. ovipneumoniae would lead to its elimination which in turn would facilitate the elimination of other microorganisms and the resolution of lesions. As natural immunity to CNP occurs within the first year, it may be possible to develop an effective and useful vaccine. Such a vaccine may need to include multiple strains of M. ovipneumoniae.     

绵羊气管上皮细胞的分离培养及绵羊肺炎支原体对其的吸附

为建立简便、高效、稳定的绵羊气管上皮细胞的体外培养及鉴定的方法,并在所培养的细胞上研究绵羊肺炎支原体侵染模型,本研究利用链蛋白酶冷消化法对绵羊气管上皮细胞进行体外分离,通过差速贴壁法纯化气管上皮细胞并进行传代后用液氮保存,细胞复苏后通过测定生长曲线、上皮细胞骨架蛋白角蛋白8和18以及对染色体与微生物的检测等对所培养细胞进行鉴定,并将鉴定纯化的气管上皮细胞用绵羊肺炎支原体进行侵染。结果显示,成功培养出绵羊气管上皮细胞,纯化的细胞在显微镜下排列紧密,形态均一,呈鹅卵石铺路样。细胞生长曲线呈S型,分子生物学手段和增菌试验未检测到气管上皮细胞中含有微生物污染,通过细胞免疫组化检测到了细胞角蛋白8、18,染色体核型数目为2n=54。绵羊肺炎支原体能黏附于分离纯化的绵羊支气管上皮细胞,为进一步研究支原体侵染细胞的机制等奠定了基础。     

Natural and experimental infections of lambs with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae

Mycoplasma (M.) ovipneumoniae was isolated pure or mixed with bacteria from 47 lungs of lambs of 14 in 22 tested flocks. M. ovipneumoniae was obtained as pure culture in cases of mild bronchopneumonia. Experimental intratracheal or intranasal infection caused several days of rising body temperature above 39.7 degrees C. Nasal discharge, coughing, and dyspnea did not occur. M. ovipneumoniae was successfully re-isolated from nasal swabs, beginning 2 d from infection. Lobular catarrhal bronchopneumonia was established by postmortem examinations, 10-14 d from infection, and M. ovipneumoniae was re-isolated from the lungs. Histological patterns of lungs were characterised by interstitial cell reactions.     

Experimental Mycoplasma bovis infection of the respiratory tract of calves

Multiple intranasal experimental Mycoplasma (M.) bovis infection was induced to 22 calves and resulted in clinical manifestations. M. bovis was re-isolated from 17 of 24 lungs which had been altered by pneumonia. Pasteurella haemolytica was the only pathogen isolated from the pathologically affected lung of one of the experimental animals. The haematogenic proliferation phase was successfully identified in 5 of 8 examined calves. Arthritis was not recordable from any of the experimental animals. Interstitial and catarrhal to catarrhal-purulent bronchopneumonias were the most common histological findings. Peribronchial lymphoid cell accumulations occurred frequently, as time passed from onset of infection. Antibodies against M. bovis were detected in blood serum of infected animals by means of film inhibition, as of the 3. week from infection, and by means of indirect haemagglutination, as of the 4. week from infection.     

The humoral immune response of lambs experimentally infected with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae

Using sera from lambs experimentally infected with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and Pasteurella haemolytica, the development of a good humoral immune response to M. ovipneumoniae was detected by ELISA. The antibody titres peaked 41 days post-infection and good antibody titres were maintained over the 16-week experimental period. Immunoblotting revealed that antibodies to specific antigens appeared in the sera in a sequential manner, some being seen shortly after infection and others developing only after a substantial time lag. Antibodies were raised against almost all the major antigens detected in one laboratory strain (956/2) and against all antigens previously shown to be conserved in 22 Scottish field isolates of M. ovipneumoniae.     

绵羊肺炎支原体分离株交叉反应性的测定

绵羊肺炎支原体分离株致敏经过鞣酸和戊二醛处理的绵羊红细胞,制备成试验用抗原,与通过攻毒取得的几种血清进行间接血凝试验来检测其交叉反应性。通过检测,绵羊肺炎支原体分离株同无乳支原体、巴氏杆菌等几种可以引起肺炎症状的菌种无交叉反应性。     

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae induces inflammatory response in sheep airway epithelial cells via a MyD88-dependent TLR signaling pathway

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovipneumoniae) is a bacterium that specifically infects sheep and goat and causes ovine infectious pleuropneumonia. In an effort to understand the pathogen–host interaction between the M. ovipneumoniae and airway epithelial cells, we investigated the host inflammatory response using a primary air–liquid interface (ALI) epithelial culture model generated from bronchial epithelial cells of Ningxia Tan sheep (Ovis aries). The ALI culture of sheep bronchial epithelial cells showed a fully differentiated epithelium comprising distinct epithelial types, including the basal, ciliated and goblet cells. Exposure of ALI cultures to M. ovipneumoniae led to increased expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), and components of the myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)-dependent TLR signaling pathway, including the MyD88, TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), IL-1 receptor-associated kinases (IRAKs) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), as well as subsequent pro-inflammatory cytokines in the epithelial cells. Of interest, infection with M. ovipneumoniae failed to induce the expression of TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1), TRAF3 and interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), key components of the MyD88-independent signaling pathway. These results suggest that the MyD88-dependent TLR pathway may play a crucial role in sheep airway epithelial cells in response to M. ovipneumoniae infection, which also indicate that the ALI culture system may be a reliable model for investigating pathogen–host interactions between M. ovipneumoniae and airway epithelial cells.