title: Expression of interleukin-1β, interleukin-8, and interferon-γ in blood samples obtained from healthy and sick neonatal foals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and compare the gene expression of interleukin(IL)-1β, IL-8, and interferon-γ during the first 72 hours after birth in healthy foals and during the first 72 hours after hospitalization in sick neonatal foals and investigate correlations of clinicopathologic variables with cytokine expressions in healthy and sick neonatal foals.
  
  
  METHODS
  33 foals < 7 days old (10 healthy foals, 7 foals with sepsis, 6 foals with peripartum asphyxia syndrome, and 12 foals with other diseases [2 with failure of passive transfer of immunity only were not further evaluated]).
  
  
  METHODS
  A blood sample (15 mL) was collected from each foal immediately after birth or hospital admission (0 hours) and at 24 and 72 hours later. Clinicopathologic variables were evaluated, and cytokine gene expression in WBCs was measured with an absolute quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase PCR assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At all time points, gene expression of interferon-γ was low in all groups. No time-dependent changes in cytokine expressions were detected in healthy or sick foals. Foals with sepsis had significantly higher IL-1β gene expression than did healthy foals, foals with peripartum asphyxia syndrome, or foals with other diseases. At 0 hours, IL-1β expression was correlated with plasma fibrinogen concentration in healthy foals and with the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in foals with sepsis; IL-8 expression was correlated with monocyte count in foals with sepsis and with arterial pH, plasma fibrinogen concentration, and plasma lactate concentration in foals with peripartum asphyxia syndrome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data have suggested that evaluation of IL-1β expression in sick neonatal foals could help identify those with sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy. carolina.castagnetti@unibo.it
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castagnetti
authors.forename: Jole
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mariella
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pirrone
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cinotti
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006736:Horses; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D016209:Interleukin-8; D019344:Lactic Acid; D012313:RNA; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D005340:Fibrinogen