Evaluation of a replacement method for mammary gland biopsies by comparing gene expression in udder tissue and mammary epithelial cells isolated from milk

Somatic cells isolated from milk offer an attractive non-invasive replacement of invasive udder biopsies for monitoring bovine mammary gland metabolism. However, for metabolic gene expression studies the mammary gland epithelial cells (MEC) isolated from milk have to be purified from the non-epithelial leukocyte fraction in milk samples. In our study, enrichment of MEC by using anti-cytokeratin peptide 18 (KRT18) antibody coated magnetic beads was evaluated. MEC showed a substantially increased expression of the epithelial-cell-specific KRT18 gene compared to udder tissue. The expression levels of genes specific for mammary gland epithelial cells (CSN3 and LALBA) showed a significant positive correlation in MEC and also in udder tissue. However, no significant correlation of the expression of a specific gene was found between udder and MEC samples. Therefore, MEC isolated from total milk samples via KRT18 antibodies probably do not reflect the true metabolic situation of the bovine udder. Thus, quantitative gene expression profiling of MEC isolated via KRT18 antibodies has to be interpreted carefully with respect to the situation in the udder.     

Use of an immortalized bovine mammary epithelial cell line (MAC-T) to measure the mitogenic activity of extracts from heifer mammary tissue: effects of nutrition and ovariectomy

The objectives of the experiment were (1) to determine whether MAC-T cells would accurately mimic the previously observed proliferative responses of primary mammary epithelial cells (MEC) to mammary tissue extracts from high and low-fed heifers and (2) to determine whether mammary tissue extracts from ovariectomized (OVX) heifers would have lower mitogenic activity than intact controls. Addition of mammary tissue extracts to cell culture media of MAC-T cells plated on plastic or collagen-coated plastic to a range of concentrations between 1 and 8% resulted in dose-dependent increases in cell proliferation. Furthermore, mammary tissue extracts from low-fed prepubertal heifers aged 9 months, stimulated significantly more proliferation of MAC-T cells, as measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA than mammary tissue extracts from high-fed heifers (40.6 cpm x 10(3) per well versus 21.9+/-1.8 cpm x 10(3) per well). These observations suggested that MAC-T cells would be a suitable alternative to primary MECs for measuring the mitogenic activity of mammary tissue extracts. Conversely, no difference was observed in the mitogenic activity of mammary tissue extracts from OVX or control heifers. Possibly, MAC-T cells provide a good model for nutrition- but not ovarian-induced changes in mammary growth. Alternatively, that reduction of in vivo mammary development following OVX did not result in reduced mitogenic activity of the mammary tissue extracts emphasizes that heifer mammary development is the result of complex interactions between local growth factors and systemic hormones.     

Effect of plasma from cyclic versus nutritionally induced anovulatory beef heifers on proliferation of granulosa cells in vitro

The effect of plasma from cyclic versus nutritionally induced anovulatory beef heifers was evaluated on proliferation of bovine granulosa cells in vitro. Granulosa cells were obtained from small (1-5mm) follicles of cattle and cultured for 4 days. During the last 2 days of culture, cells were exposed to medium containing 0, 1 or 10% plasma from cyclic or anovulatory heifers in the presence or absence of IGF-I (100ng/ml). Cell numbers were determined. Regardless of source, increasing percentage of plasma to culture medium increased cell numbers. However, the plasma-induced increase was greater in granulosa cells exposed to cyclic heifer plasma versus anovulatory heifer plasma. In addition, concomitant treatment with IGF-I dramatically improved cell proliferation induced by anovulatory heifer plasma. These results indicate that plasma from cyclic heifers contain factors that are a greater stimulus to granulosa cell proliferation than plasma from anovulatory heifers. Systemic factors such as IGF-I may play a role in directly regulating granulosa cell proliferation in cattle.     

Cell types and their immunological functions in bovine mammary tissues and secretions--a review of the literature

In this work the literature concerning cells related to bovine mammary gland defence mechanisms has been reviewed. The cells considered in this review include leucocytes from mammary secretions, leucocytes located in the mammary tissues, and nonsecretory epithelial cells which line the teat and the lactiferous sinuses of the udder. The mammary secretions and tissues basically contain three types of cells: polymorphonuclear leucocytes, macrophages, and lymphocytes. The number of each type of cell varies, depending on the physiological and pathological states of the udder, and all cell functions are associated with the immuno-defence mechanisms of the mammary gland.     

奶牛原代乳腺上皮细胞的培养及β酪蛋白mRNA的表达

本试验旨在建立原代乳腺上皮细胞系的体外培养方法,并进行β酪蛋白mRNA的表达验证。取新鲜泌乳期的乳腺组织,采用组织块法培养纯化原代乳腺上皮细胞,利用显微镜观察细胞形态并进行细胞生长计数,采用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测β酪蛋白mRNA表达。结果显示,纯化培养的原代乳腺上皮细胞集聚成岛屿状生长,具有典型的铺路石和鹅卵石形状,细胞生长曲线呈"S"形,符合一般细胞的生长规律,并成功表达β酪蛋白mRNA。综上所述,本研究采用组织块法成功培养出具有正常生理功能的奶牛原代乳腺上皮细胞,为后续的乳腺上皮细胞功能研究提供了良好的细胞试验模型。     

Pathogen group specific risk factors at herd, heifer and quarter levels for intramammary infections in early lactating dairy heifers

Risk factors for intramammary infections caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci, contagious major pathogens and environmental major pathogens in early lactating heifers were evaluated at the herd, heifer and quarter levels. In total, 764 quarters of 191 dairy heifers in 20 randomly selected farms in Flanders (Belgium) were sampled. Quarter milk samples were collected between 1 and 4 days in milk and between 5 and 8 days in milk for bacteriological culture. Data were analyzed using multivariable, multilevel logistic regression analysis. Higher average herd milk somatic cell count (>200,000 cells/mL), not having an effective fly control strategy, contact with lactating cows prior to calving and moderate to severe udder edema prior to calving increased the odds of intramammary infections caused by contagious major pathogens. Poor heifer hygiene and lack of mineral/vitamin supplementation prior to calving were risk factors for intramammary infection caused by environmental major pathogens. Teat apex colonization with coagulase-negative staphylococci prior to calving seemed to protect quarters against intramammary infections caused by major pathogens. Poor heifer hygiene before calving, a non-clipped udder and not practicing of teat dipping prior to calving increased the odds of intramammary infection with coagulase-negative staphylococci. Although management is important in the prevention and control of intramammary infections in early lactating heifers, most variation in the prevalence of intramammary infections resided at the heifer and quarter levels, indicating that the susceptibility for intramammary infections around calving is mainly determined by heifer and quarter characteristics.     

Prepuberal Ovine Mammary Development is Unaffected by Ovariectomy

Crossbred ewe lambs were used in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design to determine the effect of ovariectomy, age, and estrogen administration on prepuberal mammary development. Intact (I, n = 20) and ovariectomized (OVX, n = 17) lambs were sacrificed at 6 and 13 wk of age after 1 wk of either estrogen 0.1 mg/kg BW/day, s.c.) or vehicle injections. Ovariectomies were performed at 10 ± 1 d of age. At sacrifice, one mammary gland was dissected into parenchymal and stromal fractions for biochemical analyses. Parenchymal explants from the remaining gland were labeled with [³H]thymidine for histoautoradiography. Neither ovariectomy nor estrogen treatment affected body weight, total gland weight, or parenchymal weight (P > 0.05). However, means for each of these variables increased between 6 and 13 wk (P < 0.01). Analysis of relative mammary growth showed significant positive deviations from isometry. However, no significant difference in parenchymal allometry was observed between I and OVX groups. Exogenous estrogen stimulated an increase (P < 0.05) in epithelial cell labeling with [³H]thymidine, but neither ovariectomy nor age at sacrifice had any effect (P > 0.2) on epithelial labeling. These results demonstrate that prepuberal allometric mammary growth in the ewe lamb does not require the presence of the ovary.     

Impact of intramammary infections in dairy heifers on future udder health, milk production, and culling

Dairy heifers represent the future of a dairy herd, and are expected to freshen with a healthy and well-developed udder, capable of producing an optimal amount of high quality milk. A high proportion of heifers have infected mammary quarters at calving, with coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) being the most common cause. Staphylococcus aureus and environmental pathogens are also found. The aim of this paper is to summarize how intramammary infections during (late) gestation and early lactation impair the development of the mammary gland and negatively affect future udder health and milk production. Heifers calving with either subclinical or clinical mastitis are also at a higher risk to be culled in first lactation. The magnitude of the effect is most likely related to the virulence of the causative pathogen, the persistence of the infection when milk production has started, and the time of onset of infection. Histological changes in udder tissue from quarters infected with S. aureus are more pronounced than those in udder tissue from CNS-infected quarters. The longer the infections exist and the longer they persist into lactation, the larger the impact on heifers' future udder health and milk production will be. In general, CNS infections are cleared early in lactation and some studies show that CNS do not have a large impact on future milk production and udder health. Future research should elucidate to what extent pathogen-specific as well as host-related factors affect the persistence of IMI in early lactating heifers.     

荷斯坦奶牛乳腺上皮细胞的分离培养

目的：建立荷斯坦奶牛乳腺上皮细胞的分离培养方法。方法：采用组织块种植法培养奶牛乳腺上皮细胞,利用胰蛋白酶差时消化法分离、纯化上皮细胞。结果：成功培养出奶牛乳腺上皮细胞,显微镜下观察,纯化的乳腺上皮细胞呈典型上皮细胞形态,细胞之间排列紧密,呈鹅卵石铺路样,形态均一,多角形的单层聚集。通过荧光免疫细胞染色方法对细胞骨架蛋白-角蛋白18进行鉴定,呈现阳性反应。乳腺上皮细胞增殖旺盛,经25次以上传代后长势仍然良好。结论：采用组织块种植法结合胰酶差时消化法成功获得纯化的奶牛乳腺上皮细胞。     

IGF-Ⅰ在奶牛乳腺的表达及其对乳腺上皮细胞泌乳功能的影响

为研究IGF-Ⅰ表达和奶牛乳腺发育与泌乳之间的关系,采用qRT-PCR检测奶牛乳腺组织中IGF-Ⅰ的表达情况,应用细胞培养、qRT-PCR、MTT法检测IGF-Ⅰ对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞的影响。结果显示,在青春期奶牛乳腺组织中IGF-Ⅰ的表达量最高;添加IGF-Ⅰ后,乳腺上皮细胞IGF-ⅠR表达增加,细胞增殖能力提高,β-酪蛋白表达增加。研究结果表明,IGF-Ⅰ可通过促进IGF-ⅠR的表达,从而促进乳腺上皮细胞增殖和提高乳中β-酪蛋白含量。     

哺乳动物乳腺上皮细胞体外培养研究进展

由于具有合成和分泌乳汁的特殊生理功能,哺乳动物乳腺上皮细胞是进行乳腺生物反应器研究的重要细胞模型。用乳腺上皮细胞建立的模型,能真实反映哺乳动物乳腺生长发育及泌乳的各项生物学机制,验证乳腺特异性表达载体的构建是否合理有效,涉及到细胞生物学、发育生物学、内分泌学、生物化学与分子生物学等多个领域,对于乳腺生物反应器、乳蛋白基因表达的研究有重要意义。作者主要从培养方法方面介绍了近年来哺乳动物乳腺上皮细胞体外培养方法。     

Course of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in mammary secretions of the goat during end-pregnancy and early lactation

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays a crucial role in mammogenesis in many species. In ruminants, studies are limited, as EGF does not occur in peripheral plasma and specific analytical systems do not exist. Therefore a heterologous radioimmunoassay based on rhEGF was set up to monitor EGF in mammary gland secretions from goats during end-pregnancy and early lactation. IGF-I was measured with an established radioimmunoassay. Samples were collected from 13 goats for 25 days ante-partum and 25 days post-partum. Mammary gland secretions were obtained ante-partum by removing a small amount of the udder secretions (control half) or milking (stimulated half). Post-partum normal milk samples were collected. Blood samples were drawn by jugular venipuncture for the same period. EGF was found to occur in different molecular weight forms in the mammary glands. For routine measurements these proteins were extracted with acetone and not further separated. IGF-I and EGF concentrations in mammary secretions and similarly IGF-I in blood were high ante-partum and decreased slightly towards birth. IGF-I but not EGF is found in the peripheral plasma. Whereas IGF-I concentrations in blood were quite constant post-partum, IGF-I and EGF dropped in mammary secretions close to the detection limits. The decrease was more pronounced in the stimulated half than in the control half. The data support a synergistic role for EGF and IGF-I for mammogenesis. Both factors are further influenced by the milking stimulus and thus the functional state of the udder.     

Growth hormone and lactogenic hormones can reduce the leptin mRNA expression in bovine mammary epithelial cells

Leptin mRNA is expressed in not only adipocytes but also mammary epithelial cells and leptin protein is present in milk. Although milk leptin is thought to influence metabolism or the immune system in neonates, there is little information about the regulation of leptin expression in mammary epithelial cells. We examined the effect of growth hormone (GH) and/or lactogenic hormone complex (DIP; dexamethasone, insulin and prolactin) on leptin mRNA expression in mammary epithelial cells. We used a bovine mammary epithelial cell (BMEC) clonal line, which was established from a 26-day pregnant Holstein heifer. We confirmed that the mRNA was expressed in BMECs and the expression was significantly reduced by GH and/or DIP, when the cells were cultured on both plastic plates and cell culture inserts at days 2 and 7 after stimulation with lactogenic hormones. GH and/or DIP significantly increased level of alpha-casein mRNA in BMECs after 7 days on the cell culture inserts, but no mRNA expression was detected at day 2. GH and DIP significantly stimulated the secretion of alpha-casein from BMEC on cell culture inserts at 3.5 and 7 days. However, neither alpha-casein mRNA expression nor secretion was observed in the BMECs cultured on plastic dishes, even in the presence of GH or/and DIP. These results indicate that GH and DIP can directly reduce leptin mRNA expression in both undifferentiated and functionally differentiated bovine mammary epithelial cell.     

Study on Expression of SYK in Dairy Cow Mammary Gland

To investigate the relationship between the expression of SYK and dairy cow mammary gland development and lactation, the expression of SYK in lactating dairy cow mammary gland with high or low quality milk and dry period Holstein dairy cow mammary gland was detected by Western blotting and laser confocal microscope.The results showed that SYK expression in dry period mammary gland was significant higher than that in lactating mammary gland (P<0.05).There was no SYK differential expression detected between lactating mammary gland with high quality milk and low quality milk (P>0.05).SYK was mainly located in the cytoplasm of ductal epithelial cells in dry period mammary gland.In lactating mammary gland, SYK was existed in acinar epithelial cells.All these results revealed that SYK was a regulator in mammary epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation.It participated in mammary gland reconstitution in dry period.     

脾源性酪氨酸激酶基因在奶牛乳腺中的表达研究

为探讨脾源性酪氨酸激酶(spleen tyrosine kinase,SYK)的表达与奶牛乳腺发育和泌乳功能之间的关系,试验采用Western blotting和激光共聚焦显微技术对泌乳期高乳品质、低乳品质及干乳期的中国荷斯坦奶牛乳腺组织中SYK的表达含量和表达部位的变化进行研究。结果表明,干乳期奶牛乳腺组织中SYK的表达显著高于泌乳期奶牛乳腺组织(P<0.05),泌乳期高乳品质、低乳品质奶牛乳腺组织中SYK的表达差异不显著(P>0.05);在干乳期SYK主要在乳腺导管上皮细胞的胞质中表达,而在泌乳期SYK在腺泡上皮细胞中表达。结果提示SYK是乳腺上皮细胞增殖与分化的调节因子,主要参与干乳期乳腺组织的重建过程。     

猪乳腺细胞分离培养及EGFP基因转化

本研究旨在从猪乳腺组织中分离得到上皮细胞和成纤维细胞,并将EGFP基因导入这些细胞.利用乳腺细胞堵养体系从成年猪乳腺组织中分离培养上皮细胞和成纤维细胞,并利用脂质体介导转染技术将EGFP基因导入这些细胞.结果,从成年猪乳腺组织中成功分离培养出上皮细胞和成纤维细胞,获得转EGFP基因上皮细胞和成纤维细胞.上皮细胞呈短梭形或多角形,细胞之间紧密相靠,互相衔接,连接成片;细胞核呈圆形或椭圆形,核仁2～4枚,比较明显.成纤维细胞呈长梭形.结果表明,可以从猪乳腺组织中分离上皮细胞和成纤维细胞,EGFP可以在这些细胞中表达.     

Premature mammary development in a heifer with abdominal mesothelioma

A 13-month-old nonpregnant Holstein heifer had premature mammary gland development. A mesothelioma was found to involve the entire abdominal cavity, with 2 large tumorous masses adjacent to the right ovary and left kidney. Physiologic function of the ovary had been affected by the neoplasm.     

Characterization of microRNA profile in mammary tissue of dairy and beef breed heifers

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non‐coding RNAs that participate in the regulation of gene expression. Their role during mammary gland development is still largely unknown. In this study, we performed a microarray analysis to identify miRNAs associated with high mammogenic potential of the bovine mammary gland. We identified 54 significantly differentially expressed miRNAs between the mammary tissue of dairy (Holstein‐Friesian, HF) and beef (Limousin, LM) postpubertal heifers. Fifty‐two miRNAs had higher expression in the mammary tissue of LM heifers. The expression of the top candidate miRNAs (bta‐miR‐10b, bta‐miR‐29b, bta‐miR‐101, bta‐miR‐375, bta‐miR‐2285t, bta‐miR‐146b, bta‐let7b, bta‐miR‐107, bta‐miR‐1434‐3p) identified in the microarray experiment was additionally evaluated by qPCR. Enrichment analyses for targeted genes revealed that the major differences between miRNA expression in the mammary gland of HF versus LM were associated with the regulation of signalling pathways that are crucial for mammary gland development, such as TGF‐beta, insulin, WNT and inflammatory pathways. Moreover, a number of genes potentially targeted by significantly differentially expressed miRNAs were associated with the activity of mammary stem cells. These data indicate that the high developmental potential of the mammary gland in dairy cattle, leading to high milk productivity, depends also on a specific miRNA expression pattern.     

Prepartum teat apex colonization with Staphylococcus chromogenes in dairy heifers is associated with low somatic cell count in early lactation

A high number of dairy heifers freshen with udder health problems. The prevalence of teat apex colonization (TAC) with Staphylococcus chromogenes, one of the most widespread coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) in milk samples from freshly calved dairy heifers, was measured cross-sectionally in non-lactating heifers on eight commercial dairy farms in Belgium. The influence of age on this prevalence, and the association between teat apex colonization with S. chromogenes prepartum and quarter milk somatic cell count (SCC) in early lactation were studied. In total, 492 teat apices were sampled from 123 heifers. The age of the heifers varied from 8 to 34 months. Overall, 20% of the heifers had at least one teat apex colonized with S. chromogenes. Of all teats sampled, 10% were colonized with S. chromogenes. The chance of having at least one teat apex colonized with S. chromogenes increased with age of the heifer. The presence of prepartum teat apex colonization with S. chromogenes was not associated with intramammary infection (IMI) early postpartum with the same bacterium. On the contrary, teat apex colonization with S. chromogenes prepartum appeared to protect quarters in the first few days of lactation from having somatic cell count >or=200000cells/ml milk, commonly accepted as the threshold for intramammary infection.