Comparison of T cell subsets between somatic cloned and normal cow.
OBJECTIVE
Somatic cloning technology is beneficial for genetically producing excellent animals. However, many developmental problems of somatically cloned animals have been described. Some of them may cause disorders of the immune system, resulting in the fluctuation of the proportion of white blood cells (WBC), different from that of normal animals in peripheral blood.


METHODS
In Holstein- cloned and normal cows, the fluctuation of granulocytes, monocytes, B cells and T cells, and further T cell subsets (CD4+, CD8+, gammadelta, CD8+gammadelta and WC1+gammadelta T cell) in peripheral blood were analyzed in early lactation stage (ELS) and mid to late lactation stage (MLS) by flow cytometry using specific monoclonal antibodies for cell surface markers.


RESULTS
In both ELS and MLS, there were no significant differences in the proportions of granulocytes, monocytes, B cells and T cells between cloned and normal cows. In T cell subsets, gammadelta and WC1+gammadelta T cells in cloned cows were significantly less frequent than in normal cows in ELS. The decreased proportions of gammadelta and WC1+gammadelta T cells recovered to the level of normal cows in MLS.


CONCLUSIONS
The population of granulocytes, monocytes, B cells and T cells, and T cell subsets except for gammadelta and WC1+gammadelta T cells in cloned cows fluctuated in a manner similar to those of normal cows during lactation. In ELS, the proportions of gammadelta and WC1+gammadelta T cells temporarily declined in cloned cows, suggesting that cloned cows may fall into an immunosuppressive state in ELS.
Tanaka
Sachi
S
Department of Animal Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Miyazawa
Kohtaro
K
Watanabe
Kouichi
K
Ohwada
Shyuichi
S
Aso
Hisashi
H
Yonai
Miharu
M
Saito
Norio
N
Yamaguchi
Takahiro
T
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000276:immunology; D007774:Lactation; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*