Effects of phenylalanine and threonine oligopeptides on milk protein synthesis in cultured bovine mammary epithelial cells

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of phenylalanine (Phe) and threonine (Thr) oligopeptides on α_s1 casein gene expression and milk protein synthesis in bovine mammary epithelial cells. Primary mammary epithelial cells were obtained from Holstein dairy cows and incubated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium‐F12 medium (DMEM/F12) containing lactogenic hormones (prolactin and glucocorticoids). Free Phe (117 μg/ml) was substituted partly with peptide‐bound Phe (phenylalanylphenylalanine, phenylalanyl threonine, threonyl‐phenylalanyl‐phenylalanine) in the experimental media. After incubation with experimental medium, cells were collected for gene expression analysis and medium was collected for milk protein or amino acid determination. The results showed that peptide‐bound Phe at 10% (11.7 μg/ml) significantly enhanced α_s1 casein gene expression and milk protein synthesis as compared with equivalent amount of free Phe. When 10% Phe was replaced by phenylalanylphenylalanine, the disappearance of most essential amino acids increased significantly, and gene expression of peptide transporter 2 and some amino acid transporters was significantly enhanced. These results indicate that the Phe and Thr oligopeptides are important for milk protein synthesis, and peptide‐bound amino acids could be utilised more efficiently in milk protein synthesis than the equivalent amount of free amino acids.     

Establishment of an in vitro culture model to study milk production and the blood–milk barrier with bovine mammary epithelial cells

This study attempted to establish a culture model to recreate the milk production pathway in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). BMECs were isolated from Holstein cows (nonlactating, nonpregnant, and parous) and were stored by cryopreservation. To separate the apical and basolateral compartments, BMECs were cultured on a cell culture insert with a collagen gel in the presence of bovine pituitary extract and dexamethasone to induce milk production and tight junction (TJ) formation. The culture model showed the secretion of the major milk components, such as β‐casein, lactose, and triglyceride, and formed less‐permeable TJs in BMECs. Moreover, the TJs were distinctly separated from the apical and basolateral membranes. Glucose transporter‐1, which transports glucose into the cytoplasm through the basolateral membrane, localized in the lateral membrane of BMECs. Toll‐like receptor‐4, which binds to lipopolysaccharide in the alveolar lumen in mastitis, localized in the apical membrane. Beta‐casein was mainly localized near the Golgi apparatus and the apical membrane. Moreover, milk components were almost secreted into the upper chamber of the cell culture insert. These findings indicate that this model has clear cell polarity as well as in vivo and is effective to study of milk production and the blood–milk barrier in lactating BMECs.     

Proteomic analysis to unravel the effect of heat stress on gene expression and milk synthesis in bovine mammary epithelial cells

Heat stress can play a negative effect on milk yield and composition of dairy cattle, leading to immeasurable economic loss. The basic components of the mammary gland are the alveoli; these alveolar mammary epithelial cells reflect the milk producing ability of dairy cows. In this study, we exposed bovine mammary epithelial cells to heat stress and compared them to a control group using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation combined with liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Compared with a control group, 104 differentially elevated proteins (>1.3‐fold) and 167 decreased proteins (<0.77‐fold) were identified in the heat treatment group. Gene Ontology analysis identified a majority of the differentially expressed proteins are associated in cell‐substrate junction assembly, catabolic processes and metabolic processes. Some of these significantly regulated proteins were related to the synthesis and secretion of milk, such as milk protein and fat. This finding was further supported by the results obtained from the reduced β‐casein expression through the system of plasminogen activator – plasminogen – plasmin and decreased fatty acid synthase could partly explain why milk fat synthesis ability of dairy cows decreased under heat stress. Our results highlight the effects of heat stress on synthesis of milk protein and fat, thus providing additional clues for further studies of heat stress on dairy milk production.     

牛乳腺上皮细胞的分离培养

为了对牛乳腺上皮细胞(MECs)进行分离、培养和鉴定,并研究细胞分泌功能,试验通过胶原酶消化法分离得到了牛乳腺上皮细胞,采用传代法对细胞进行纯化,对细胞标志蛋白进行免疫荧光染色鉴定,通过体外诱导和RT-PCR分析鉴定细胞的分泌功能。结果表明:分离到的牛乳腺上皮细胞具有典型乳腺上皮细胞的形态特征,表达广谱角蛋白,经诱导后可分泌β-酪蛋白。     

IGF-Ⅰ对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞合成乳脂、乳蛋白的影响

分离培养奶牛乳腺上皮细胞,添加不同质量浓度的IGF-Ⅰ（insulin-like growth factor-Ⅰ）（0,10,100,200μg/L）刺激24h后,提取细胞总RNA,用荧光定量RT-PCR方法检测β-酪蛋白（CSN2）和乙酰辅酶A羧化酶α（ACA-CA）基因的转录水平变化。结果显示,IGF-Ⅰ能够显著促进CSN2和ACACA基因的转录,并且具有浓度依赖性。结果表明,IGF-Ⅰ可作为信号分子调节乳腺的泌乳功能。     

Exfoliation rate of mammary epithelial cells in milk on bovine mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus is associated with bacterial load

The exfoliation rate of mammary epithelial cells (MECs) in milk is affected by physiological, breeding and environmental factors. Little is known about the relationship between the MEC exfoliation into milk and mammary‐infected Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) load on bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between S. aureus load and the proportion of MEC exfoliation in milk using five substantial bovine mastitis models. In 64 randomly extracted milk samples from udders at 3–21 days after S. aureus infusion, there were various samples with different numbers of S. aureus counts and somatic cell counts. No significant correlations were found between the S. aureus counts and somatic cell count (r = 0.338). In contrast, a significant correlation was noted between S. aureus counts and the proportion of cytokeratin‐positive cells in the milk from the infused udders (r = 0.734, P < 0.01). In conclusion, the increasing MEC exfoliation rate in milk from mastitis udders caused by S. aureus may contribute to reduced milk yield.     

金黄色葡萄球菌对体外培养的奶牛乳腺上皮细胞PDGF-BB mRNA及蛋白表达的影响

为研究金黄色葡萄球菌(S.aureus)对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞(BMEC)中PDGF-BB m RNA及蛋白表达的影响,本研究采用热灭活的不同浓度的S.aureus菌液(0、105、106、108cfu/m L)作用于BMEC,分别在不同时间点(6 h、12 h、24 h、48 h)利用荧光定量PCR和western blot方法检测PDGF-BB m RNA及其蛋白的相对表达量。结果显示,不同浓度菌液处理组的PDGF-BB m RNA相对表达量随着作用时间延长表达量升高(p0.05)。6 h处理组随着菌液浓度的升高,PDGF-BB m RNA的相对表达量呈升高趋势;12 h处理组随着菌液浓度的升高,PDGF-BB m RNA的相对表达量呈降低趋势;24 h和48 h处理组105cfu/m L菌液处理组PDGF-BB m RNA相对表达量最高(p0.05)。同时,各时间点不同浓度菌液处理组PDGF-BB蛋白的相对表达量和m RNA表达基本一致。本研究表明,热灭活的S.aureus能够促进BMEC PDGF-BB m RNA和蛋白的表达。     

Gene expression and hormonal regulation of adiponectin and its receptors in bovine mammary gland and mammary epithelial cells

Although the functions of adiponectin, a differentiated adipocyte‐derived hormone, in regulating glucose and fatty acid metabolism are regulated by two subtypes of adiponectin receptors (AdipoRs; AdipoR1 and AdipoR2), those in ruminants remain unclear. Therefore we examined the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of adiponectin and its receptors in various bovine tissues and mammary glands among different lactation stages, and the effects of lactogenic hormones (insulin, dexamethasone and prolactin) and growth hormone (GH) on mRNA expression of the AdipoRs in cultured bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC). AdipoRs mRNAs were widely expressed in various bovine tissues, but adiponectin mRNA expression was significantly higher in adipose tissue than in other tissues. In the mammary gland, although adiponectin mRNA expression was significantly decreased at lactation, AdipoR1 mRNA expression was significantly higher at peak lactation than at the dry‐off stage. In BMEC, lactogenic hormones and GH upregulated AdipoR2 mRNA expression but did not change that of AdipoR1. In conclusion, adiponectin and its receptor mRNA were expressed in various bovine tissues and the adiponectin mRNA level was decreased during lactation. These results suggest that adiponectin and its receptors ware changed in mammary glands by lactation and that AdipoRs mRNA expression was regulated by different pathways in BMEC.     

细胞因子对牛乳腺上皮细胞体外增殖作用评价

分离纯化了乳腺上皮细胞,对细胞进行角蛋白免疫组化鉴定后,比较不同细胞因子对乳腺上皮细胞生长的影响.结果显示,生长因子EGF或HGF对牛乳腺上皮细胞的增殖具有重要作用,17β-E2不能促进牛乳腺上皮细胞的增殖,但可与EGF协同促进牛乳腺上皮细胞的增殖,表明17β3-E2对EGF诱导的乳腺上皮细胞增殖具有重要作用.     

Effects of induced energy deficiency on lactoferrin concentration in milk and the lactoferrin reaction of primary bovine mammary epithelial cells in vitro

A dietary energy restriction to 49% of total energy requirements was conducted with Red Holstein cows for three weeks in mid‐lactation. At the last day of the restriction phase, primary bovine mammary epithelial cells (pbMEC) of eight restriction (RF) and seven control‐fed (CF) cows were extracted out of one litre of milk and cultured. In their third passage, an immune challenge with the most prevalent, heat‐inactivated mastitis pathogens Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was conducted. Lactoferrin (LF) was determined on gene expression and protein level. An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to determine LF in milk samples taken twice weekly throughout the animal trial, beginning on day 20 pp (post‐partum) until day 150 pp, in cell culture total protein and in cell culture supernatant. Milk LF increased throughout the lactation and decreased significantly during the induced energy deficiency in the RF group. At the beginning of realimentation, LF concentration increased immediately in the RF group and reached higher levels than before the induced deficit following the upward trend seen in the CF group. Cell culture data revealed higher levels (up to sevenfold up‐regulation in gene expression) and significant higher LF protein concentration in the RF compared to the CF group cells. A further emphasized effect was found in E. coli compared to S. aureus exposed cells. The general elevated LF levels in the RF pbMEC group and the further increase owing to the immune challenge indicate an unexpected memory ability of milk‐extracted mammary cells that were transposed into in vitro conditions and even displayed in the third passage of cultivation. The study confirms the suitability of the non‐invasive milk‐extracted pbMEC culture model to monitor the influence of feeding experiments on immunological situations in vivo.     

奶牛乳腺上皮细胞和成纤维细胞的体外培养与鉴定

为体外培养纯化出稳定的奶牛乳腺上皮细胞和成纤维细胞,试验通过外科手术的方法取妊娠后期或泌乳期的荷斯坦奶牛乳腺组织,分离乳腺腺泡,用组织块法体外培养奶牛乳腺细胞,应用差时胰酶消化法和差速贴壁法将奶牛乳腺上皮细胞和成纤维细胞分别纯化出来,并用免疫组化的方法对细胞的纯度进行鉴定。结果表明:纯化的奶牛乳腺上皮细胞多为多角形,细胞核呈圆形或椭圆形,核仁清晰可见,多呈鹅卵石样或铺路石样生长,并可分泌乳滴,角蛋白-18反应阳性,波形蛋白反应阴性;纯化的奶牛乳腺成纤维细胞多为长梭形,呈旋涡状或放射状生长,角蛋白-18反应阴性,波形蛋白反应阳性;经纯化后2种细胞的纯度均可达95%以上,可满足后续试验的要求。     

脂多糖诱导奶牛乳腺上皮细胞先天性免疫反应

采取荷斯坦奶牛乳腺,进行体外分离培养,并纯化细胞。用不同质量浓度(0、1、10、100mg/L)的脂多糖刺激乳腺上皮细胞,采用MTT法检测脂多糖对细胞增殖的影响,半定量PCR检测10mg/L的LPS对乳腺上皮细胞TLR4、TLR2、CD14、MD-2四个基因在不同时间(0、2、6h)mRNA表达水平的差异。结果表明,高剂量(100mg/L)的LPS对乳腺上皮细胞的增殖产生明显影响;LPS刺激乳腺上皮细胞后,导致TLR4、CD14、MD-2mRNA表达迅速升高,而TLR2mRNA弱表达。说明TLR4、CD14、MD-2参与LPS的识别,同时也说明脂多糖刺激乳腺上皮细胞后,乳腺上皮细胞能够产生先天性免疫反应。     

奶牛乳腺上皮细胞的克隆与特性分析

用组织块接种法分离培养奶牛乳腺上皮细胞,进行形态学观察、生长曲线的绘制和核型分析等生物学性状的检测,并进行酪蛋白基因的RT-PCR鉴定。结果显示,体外培养的奶牛乳腺上皮细胞生长旺盛,具有典型的上皮细胞形态特征;染色体数目为60;能够正常表达奶牛乳腺上皮细胞的2种特异性酪蛋白基因,即as1-酪蛋白基因和β-酪蛋白基因。表明成功获得了奶牛乳腺上皮细胞克隆。     

Nuclear transfer using a bovine mammary epithelial cell line (BMEC)

The developmental potential of nuclei from a bovine mammary epithelial cell line (BMEC) in nuclear transfer was investigated. For nuclear transfer donors, BMEC cells (passage 15) were cultured for 4–5 days after seeding at cell densities of 1.0 × 10⁵ cells/cm² (high‐density group) or 0.8 × 10⁴ cells/cm² (low‐density group). First, the effective electric stimulation for fusion of enucleated oocytes with BMEC cells was examined. Fusion rates reached maximum with two DC pulses of 30 V/150 µm for 20 µs in the high‐density group and with two DC pulses of 25 V/150 µm for 10 µs in the low‐density group. The fusion rate (37.5%) in the high‐density group was significantly (P < 0.005) lower than in the low‐density group (71.4%). Second, the in vitro developmental potential of nuclear transfer embryos derived from BMEC cells was examined. In the high‐density and low‐density groups, 18.8% and 24.1% of fused oocytes, respectively, developed to blastocyst stage. The results of this study indicate that nuclei from BMEC cells support the development of nuclear transfer embryos to the blastocyst stage and that the efficiency of oocyte–cell fusion is affected by the culture conditions of the donor BEMC cells before nuclear transfer.     

Deoxynivalenol induces oxidative stress,inflammatory response and apoptosis in bovine mammary epithelial cells

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by Fusarium graminearum. It is one of the most common feed contaminants that poses a serious threat to the health and performance of dairy cows. This study investigated the in vitro cytotoxicity of DON on bovine mammary epithelial cells (MAC‐T). DON at different concentrations (0.25, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8, 1 or 2 μg/ml) inhibited the growth of MAC‐T cells after 24 hr of exposure (p < .001). DON at 0.25 μg/ml increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage (p < .05); decreased glutathione (GSH) levels (p < .001), total superoxide dismutase (T‐SOD) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC; p < .01); and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration (p < .01) in MAC‐T cells after 24 hr of exposure. We also observed that DON increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in cells incubated for 9, 15 and 24 hr (p < .001). DON at 0.25 μg/ml triggered oxidative damage in MAC‐T cells. Furthermore, it induced an inflammatory response in the cells incubated for 9, 15 and 24 hr (p < .05) by increasing the mRNA expression levels of nuclear factor kappa B, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), IL‐6, cyclooxygenase‐2 and IL‐8. We further examined the effect of DON on apoptosis. DON prevented normal proliferation of MAC‐T cells by blocked cell cycle progression in 24 hr (p < .001). In addition, the apoptosis rate measured using annexin V‐FITC significantly increased (p < .05) with increase in the mRNA expression level of Bax (p < .01) and increase in the Bax/Bcl‐2 ratio (p < .01) in cells incubated for 24 hr. In summary, DON exerts toxic effects in MAC‐T cells by causing oxidative stress, inducing an inflammatory response, affecting cell cycle and leading to apoptosis.     

苜蓿黄酮对热应激下体外培养奶牛乳腺上皮细胞凋亡的影响

本实验旨在研究苜蓿黄酮对热应激下体外培养奶牛乳腺上皮细胞的影响。将乳腺上皮细胞分成5组,每组培养基中分别含有0,25,50,75和100 μg/mL苜蓿黄酮,同时置于细胞培养箱37℃,5%CO₂培养72 h,再在 42℃恒温水浴锅中热应激1 h后返回细胞培养箱培养12 h,检测细胞活性、抗氧化指标和相关基因的表达。结果显示:1)添加25 μg/mL组的细胞活性显著高于0和50 μg/mL组(P<0.05),其他各组之间差异不显著。2)相对于0 μg/mL组,50~100 μg/mL组细胞的GSH-Px活性升高(P<0.01),LDH和MDA含量降低(P<0.01或P<0.05),而CAT活性无显著性差异。3)相对于0 μg/mL组,50和75 μg/mL组Caspase3和Socs3基因表达降低(P<0.01),25 μg/mL组P53、Stat1和Socs1基因表达升高(P<0.01或P<0.05),而Bcl-2和Fas基因表达无显著差异。综上所述,在热应激下,苜蓿黄酮能够提高体外培养奶牛乳腺上皮细胞的活性,改善抗氧化能力和抑制细胞凋亡,其中添加75 μg/mL效果较好。     

果香味剂对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞培养液中乳成分含量及风味影响的研究

试验旨在研究果香味剂对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞培养液中乳成分含量及培养液风味的影响。试验选用自制的奶牛乳腺上皮细胞,试验设5个处理组,果香味剂的添加剂量分别为0、5、10、15和20μg/ml。结果表明:①当培养基中果香味剂添加量为15μg/ml时,乳腺上皮细胞培养液中总蛋白水平、甘油三酯及乳糖含量均达到最高,其中对脂肪含量影响显著(P<0.05),而对蛋白和乳糖含量影响不显著(P>0.05),之后呈下降趋势,说明果香味剂可能会诱导奶牛乳腺上皮细胞乳蛋白、乳脂和乳糖分泌水平的升高;②运用PT/GC-MS分析乳腺培养液中的风味成分,与对照组相比,各试验组中除具有原有乳腺培养液的风味外,还有乙酸异丁酯、乙酸异戊酯、丙酸异戊酯、丙酸戊酯、丁酸异丁酯、丁酸戊酯、丁酸乙酯、邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯等物质成分,而这些物质成分正好是果香味剂中进入到乳腺培养液中的风味物质,且当添加剂量为15μg/ml时,各物质成分含量为最高(P<0.05),之后呈下降趋势。果香味剂能显著影响奶牛乳腺上皮培养液中乳成分含量和风味。