title: Potential role for mucosal IgA in modulating Haemonchus contortus adult worm infection in sheep.
abstract: Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus) is a haematophagous parasite which causes important economic losses in small ruminants. On the island of Gran Canaria, two sheep breeds coexist which differ in their susceptibility to the infection with H. contortus; the resistant Canaria Hair Breed (CHB) sheep and the susceptible Canaria Sheep (CS) breed. The major target of resistance mechanisms in CHB sheep are directed to the adult parasite stage, reducing the worm burden, and decreased length and fecundity of surviving worms. Mucosal IgA (mIgA) has been shown to be an important regulator of immunity in Haemonchus and Teladorsagia infections; through correlations with larval stages where such mechanisms as antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity and enzyme inhibition may mediate resistance. Here for the first time, we demonstrate a significant negative correlation between mIgA and adult worm length and fecundity only in the resistant CHB sheep. In contrast, and as reported in other sheep breeds, mIgA was only negatively correlated against the larval stage in the more susceptible CS breed. This study suggests mIgA may play a role in resistance to both larval and adult stages.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña s/n, Arucas, Las Palmas 35413, Spain.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña s/n, Arucas, Las Palmas 35413, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Glasgow University, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Stear
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña s/n, Arucas, Las Palmas 35413, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conde-Felipe
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña s/n, Arucas, Las Palmas 35413, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: School of Applied and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Federation University, VIC 3842, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Piedrafita
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña s/n, Arucas, Las Palmas 35413, Spain. Electronic address: jorgefrancisco.gonzalez@ulpgc.es.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: González
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006188:Haemonchiasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006189:Haemonchus / Q000145:classification*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A
keywords: Canaria Hair Breed; Canaria Sheep; Haemonchus contortus; Immunoglobulin-A; Sheep-nematoda; Worm-length