Differential gene expression of cytokine and cell surface molecules in T cell subpopulation derived from mammary gland secretion of cows.
OBJECTIVE
As T cell subpopulations in the mammary gland secretion (MGS) of cows dynamically vary through the lactation cycle, their functional analysis is important to understand the mammary immune responses.


METHODS
T cell subpopulations were positively selected from MGS during lactation period and non-lactation period (dry period) by a magnetic cell sorter. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of cytokine and cell surface molecules in the subpopulations stimulated with anti-CD3 was investigated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
CD4+ T cells from MGS significantly expressed mRNA of interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-2, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, IL-4, CD40 ligand (CD40L), Fas ligand (FasL) and IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) during dry period, and mRNA of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and TGF-beta during lactation period. Their expression during lactation period was always less than that during dry period. CD8+ T cells from MGS substantially expressed mRNA of IFN-gamma, IL-2, GM-CSF, TGF-beta, TNF-alpha, FasL and IL-2R during dry period and mRNA of IFN-gamma, GM-CSF, TGF-beta, TNF-alpha and c-kit during lactation period. The TGF-beta, TNF-alpha, c-kit and IL-2R mRNA expression of T cells in MGS during lactation period mostly depended on gammadelta T cells. Interestingly, c-kit mRNA was exclusively expressed in gammadelta T cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The cytokine expression of T cells in MGS of cows depended on the T cell subpopulations. The present findings suggested that the activation of gammadelta T cells via c-kit receptor participated in the suppressed expression of cytokine mRNA in T cells during lactation period.
Asai
Ken-ichi
K
T-Cell Research Institute, Sendai, Japan. t-tcr@icr-eq.co.jp
Yamaguchi
Takahiro
T
Kuroishi
Toshinobu
T
Komine
Yumiko
Y
Kai
Kenzo
K
Komine
Ken-ichi
K
Kumagai
Katsuo
K
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D007774:Lactation; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger