Acute mastitis induces upregulation of expression of plasminogen activator-related genes by blood monocytes and neutrophils in dairy ewes.
The main objective of the present study was to examine whether genes implicated in the plasminogen activating cascade: urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), u-PA receptor (u-PAR) and plasminogen activator inhibitors type 1 (PAI-1) and type 2 (PAI-2) are expressed in a differential manner in ovine blood monocytes and neutrophils obtained from healthy and mastitic dairy ewes. A total of 48 blood samples were collected from 8 healthy and 8 mastitic dairy ewes over a period of 3 weeks. Streptococcus agalactiae was detected in milk samples isolated from mastitic animals. Results indicated that expression of all four genes was very low in monocytes and neutrophils isolated from healthy animals. In contrast, there was a 2- to 5-fold increase (P<0.05) in expression of all four genes in monocytes and an 18- to 38-fold increase (P<0.01) in neutrophils isolated from mastitic animals. In conclusion, upregulation of expression of u-PA and u-PAR by monocytes and neutrophils is probably related to the rapidity of migration of these cells towards the mammary gland, while the upregulation of PAI-1 and PAI-2 is a rather enigmatic observation and it is probably related to the successful localization of the infection.
Theodorou
Georgios
G
Department of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos St., 11855 Athens, Greece. gtheod@aua.gr
Daskalopoulou
Marina
M
Chronopoulou
Roubini
R
Baldi
Antonella
A
Dell'orto
Vittorio
V
Politis
Ioannis
I
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D008413:Mastitis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000235:genetics; D017396:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2 / Q000235:genetics; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator / Q000235:genetics; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000235:genetics
D017931:DNA Primers; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D017396:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator