A sentinel function for teat tissues in dairy cows: dominant innate immune response elements define early response to E. coli mastitis

• Published in: Functional & integrative genomics 2010-03, Vol.10 (1), p.21-38
• Main Authors: Rinaldi, Manuela, Li, Robert W., Bannerman, Douglas D., Daniels, Kristy M., Evock-Clover, Christina, Silva, Marcos V. B., Paape, Max J., Van Ryssen, Bernadette, Burvenich, Christian, Capuco, Anthony V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute-Phase Proteins - genetics; Acute-Phase Proteins - metabolism; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Animals; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - genetics; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - metabolism; Biochemistry; Bioinformatics; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Blood Proteins - genetics; Blood Proteins - metabolism; Capillary Permeability - genetics; Cattle; Cattle - immunology; Cell Biology; Cell Count; Cytokines - genetics; Cytokines - metabolism; Dairying; Down-Regulation - genetics; E coli; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - growth & development; Escherichia coli - immunology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Regulatory Networks - genetics; General aspects; Genomics; Immune system; Immunity, Innate - genetics; Immunity, Innate - immunology; Infections; Life Sciences; Mammary Glands, Animal - immunology; Mammary Glands, Animal - microbiology; Mammary Glands, Animal - pathology; Mammary Glands, Animal - physiopathology; Mastitis, Bovine - immunology; Mastitis, Bovine - microbiology; Mastitis, Bovine - pathology; Mastitis, Bovine - physiopathology; Mathematics in biology. Statistical analysis. Models. Metrology. Data processing in biology (general aspects); Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Milk - cytology; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Original Paper; Plant Genetics and Genomics; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Time Factors; Toll-Like Receptors - genetics; Toll-Like Receptors - metabolism; Up-Regulation - genetics
• ISSN: 1438-793X; 1438-7948
• DOI: 10.1007/s10142-009-0133-z

Escherichia coli intramammary infection elicits localized and systemic responses, some of which have been characterized in mammary secretory tissue. Our objective was to characterize gene expression patterns that become activated in different regions of the mammary gland during the acute phase of experimentally induced E. coli mastitis. Tissues evaluated were from Fürstenburg’s rosette, teat cistern (TC), gland cistern (GC), and lobulo-alveolar (LA) regions of control and infected mammary glands, 12 and 24 h after bacterial (or control) infusions. The main networks activated by E. coli infection pertained to immune and inflammatory response, with marked induction of genes encoding proteins that function in chemotaxis and leukocyte activation and signaling. Genomic response at 12 h post-infection was greatest in tissues of the TC and GC. Only at 24 h post-infection did tissue from the LA region respond, at which time the response was the greatest of all regions. Similar genetic networks were impacted in all regions during early phases of intramammary infection, although regional differences throughout the gland were noted. Data support an important sentinel function for the teat, as these tissues responded rapidly and intensely, with production of cytokines and antimicrobial peptides.