Effects on adhesion molecule expression and lymphocytes in the bovine mammary gland following intra-mammary immunisation.
Changes to adhesion molecule expression and lymphocyte populations were evaluated in alveolar mammary tissue collected from cows following an immunisation protocol that involved intra-mammary inoculation to induce an IgA response in mammary secretions. The right quarters of the udder were immunised; the left side acted as a control. Antibody titres in secretions showed that at least two animals responded with antigen-specific IgA. Numbers of T-lymphocytes were 4-fold higher in immunised glands compared with controls (P<0.05). IgA-, IgM- and IgG-positive cell numbers were significantly higher (P<0.01) in immunised glands compared with controls in three of the four cows. No mucosal addressin molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1), vascular cell-adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) or peripheral node addressin (PNAd) protein expression was detected on smaller venules that stained positively for von Willebrand factor in alveolar mammary tissues, from either immunised or control glands. Both VCAM-1 and PNAd were detected on smaller venules in supramammary lymph nodes, however, there was no significant difference between immunised and control glands. Quantification of MAdCAM-1 mRNA showed very low expression in both immunised and control alveolar tissue compared with Peyer's patch positive-control tissue. These findings suggest that the bovine mammary gland is capable of a mucosal antibody response; however, MAdCAM-1 is not involved with lymphocyte homing to the mammary gland in this species.
AgResearch Ltd, Ruakura Research Centre, PB 3123, Hamilton, New Zealand. ali.hodgkinson@agresearch.co.nz
A J
AJ
Hodgkinson
E A
EA
Carpenter
C S
CS
Smith
P C
PC
Molan
C G
CG
Prosser
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1