title: Phenotypic and genetic relationships of bovine natural antibodies binding keyhole limpet hemocyanin in plasma and milk.
abstract: To improve the health status (resilience) of dairy cows, levels of natural antibodies (NAb) might be useful. The objective of the present study was to compare levels and to estimate genetic parameters for NAb measured in milk and plasma samples. Titers of NAb IgM and IgG isotype-binding keyhole limpet hemocyanin of 2,919 cows, in both plasma and milk, were measured using ELISA. Analysis revealed that NAb levels in milk significantly increased with parity, whereas they remained constant in plasma. Moderate positive phenotypic correlations were found between NAb levels in milk and in plasma: 0.18 for IgG and 0.40 for IgM. This indicates that NAb from milk and plasma might reflect different aspects of dairy cow health status. However, high genetic correlations were found for NAb in milk and plasma: 0.81 for IgG and 0.79 for IgM. Heritabilities (SE in parentheses) for NAb measured in plasma [0.15 (0.05) for IgG and 0.25 (0.06) for IgM] were higher than heritabilities of NAb measured in milk [0.08 (0.03) for IgG and 0.23 (0.05) for IgM]. Our results indicate that NAb measured in milk and plasma are heritable and likely have a common genetic background, suggesting that NAb levels measured in milk might be useful for genetic improvement of disease resistance.
authors: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, Wageningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: Britt.deklerk@wur.nl.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: de Klerk
authors: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Ducro
authors: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, PO Box 80125, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors: H C M
authors: HC
authors: Heuven
authors: Animal Health Services, PO Box 9, Deventer, the Netherlands.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: den Uyl
authors: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
authors: J A M
authors: JA
authors: van Arendonk
authors: Adaptation and Physiology Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 338193, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
authors: H K
authors: HK
authors: Parmentier
authors: Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: van der Poel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000737:chemistry*; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D010298:Parity / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin
keywords: dairy cattle; genetic parameter; natural antibody