title: The effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the tumor necrosis factor-α gene on reproductive performance and immune function in dairy cattle.
abstract: The present study aimed to assess the effect of polymorphisms in the tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) promoter (A/A, A/G and G/G) and exons (T/T, T/C and C/C) on immune function and reproductive performance in dairy cows. The occurrence of the first postpartum ovulation within 3 weeks in the cows with the TNF-α promoter A/G and G/G genotypes was higher than in the A/A group. Among the different TNF-α exon genotypes, the occurrence of early first postpartum ovulation was higher in the T/C and C/C genotype groups than in the T/T group. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TNF-α gene did not affect the rate of artificial insemination (AI) or duration from parturition to next conception (days open). The apoptosis rate of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) did not differ among the TNF-α promoter genotypes, but the PMN transmigration rate was significantly higher for the A/A and A/G genotypes than for the G/G genotype. Interleukin 8 (IL-8) mRNA expression in PMNs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) before culture was significantly higher for the A/A genotype compared with the G/G genotype. There were no significant differences between the genotypes in the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in PMNs and PBMCs before and 4 h after culture. IL-8 and IL-1β production by PBMCs cultured for 4 h was significantly higher for the animals with the A/A genotype than for those with the G/G genotype. On the other hand, no significant difference was observed in IL-8 and IL-1β production by PMNs among different TNF-α genotypes. Taken together, these results suggest that SNP in the TNF-α gene affects immune function and reproductive performance in dairy cows.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Animal and Food Hygiene, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, 080-8555 Obihiro, Japan.
authors.forename: Yurie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Fumie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Magata
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Chiho
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.forename: Takuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hojo
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.forename: Koumei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shirasuna
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003612:Dairying; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005838:Genotype; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha