Evaluation of immune responses of cattle as a means to identify high or low responders and use of a human microarray to differentiate gene expression

Armando Hernández; Niel Karrow; Bonnie A. Mallard

doi:doi:10.1051/gse:2003017

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Volume 35 / No Suppl. 1 (2003)

Genet. Sel. Evol., 35 Suppl. 1 (2003) S67-S81

Abstract

Free Access

Issue		Genet. Sel. Evol. Volume 35, Number Suppl. 1, 2003 Second International Symposium on Candidate Genes for Animal Health


Page(s)		S67 - S81
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/gse:2003017

Genet. Sel. Evol. 35 (2003) S67-S81
DOI: 10.1051/gse:2003017

Evaluation of immune responses of cattle as a means to identify high or low responders and use of a human microarray to differentiate gene expression

Armando Hernández^a, Niel Karrow^b and Bonnie A. Mallard^a

^a Ontario Veterinary College, Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
^b Animal and Poultry Science, Center for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

(Accepted 26 February 2003)

Abstract
An immune response (IR) index to identify cows with high (H) and low (L) antibody-mediated immune responses (AMIR) had been previously devised. High AMIR associated with decreased mastitis and improved response to vaccination. Measurement of cell-mediated immune response (CMIR) was not included in the index; therefore various antigen/adjuvant combinations were evaluated as inducers of DTH to be added to the IR-index. The Bacillus Calmette Guérin (BCG)-induced/purified protein derivative (PPD)-elicited tuberculin skin test is a reliable measure of DTH; however, its use to identify livestock with high CMIR may be confounded due to previous exposure to Mycobacteria tuberculosis. DTH to BCG/PPD was therefore compared with that induced by Mycobacteria phlei (saprophyte) and its derivative phlein as the test antigen. Antibody to OVA was also evaluated. The results indicated that BCG/PPD and M. phlei/phlein induced similar DTH, but cross reaction to PPD was evident following induction of DTH using M. phlei making it a less than ideal alternative for testing livestock. Nonetheless, cows could be ranked for both AMIR and CMIR. RNA from two cows with the highest and lowest IR ranks was then used to probe a human 1.7 kD microarray to determine the ability of a human array to provide information on bovine genes associated with H and L.

Key words: dairy cows / antibody response / delayed-type hypersensitivity / selection / microarray

Correspondence and reprints: Bonnie A. Mallard
e-mail: Bmallard@ovc.uoguelph.ca

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2003