Modulation of Cytokine mRNA Expression in Pharyngeal Epithelial Samples obtained from Cattle Infected with Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus

• Published in: Journal of comparative pathology 2012-02, Vol.146 (2-3), p.243-252
• Main Authors: Stenfeldt, C., Heegaard, P.M.H., Stockmarr, A., Belsham, G.J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alpha -Interferon; Animals; beta -Interferon; Biopsy; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - genetics; Cattle Diseases - metabolism; Cattle Diseases - virology; cytokine mRNA; Cytokines; Foot-and-mouth disease; Foot-and-Mouth Disease - genetics; Foot-and-Mouth Disease - metabolism; Foot-and-Mouth Disease - virology; Foot-and-mouth disease virus; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus - genetics; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus - metabolism; Gene expression; Infection; Interferon-alpha - genetics; Interferon-alpha - metabolism; Interferon-beta - genetics; Interferon-beta - metabolism; Palate; pharyngeal epithelium; Pharynx; Pharynx - metabolism; Pharynx - virology; Polymerase chain reaction; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; RNA-directed DNA polymerase; Statistical analysis; Tumor necrosis factor- alpha; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - genetics; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism
• ISSN: 0021-9975; 1532-3129
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2011.06.005

A novel technique of endoscopical collection of small tissue samples was used to obtain sequential tissue samples from the dorsal soft palate (DSP) of individual cattle infected with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) at different phases of the infection. Levels of mRNA encoding interferon (IFN)-α and IFN-β as well as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured in these samples by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Expression of IFN-β mRNA was significantly down-regulated in the biopsy samples harvested during the acute phase of infection, while there was no statistically significant effect on the expression of IFN-α mRNA compared with baseline levels. In contrast, the mRNA encoding TNF-α was significantly up-regulated in samples collected during both acute and late (>28days post infection) phases of infection. There were also significantly higher levels of TNF-α mRNA expressed in samples derived from animals that were identified subsequently as persistently infected FMDV-carriers. It was concluded that there was a significant difference in the host-response in the DSP of calves that were identified as persistently infected, subclinical carriers of FMDV.