Differential changes in heat shock protein-, lipoarabinomannan-, and purified protein derivative-specific immunoglobulin G1 and G2 isotype responses during bovine Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection

A highly sensitive and subspecies-specific surface antigen enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of Johne's disease

Johne's disease (JD), or paratuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, is one of the most widespread and economically important diseases of livestock and wild ruminants worldwide. Control of JD could be accomplished by diagnosis and good animal husbandry, but this is currently not feasible because commercially available diagnostic tests have low sensitivity levels and are incapable of diagnosing prepatent infections. In this study, a highly sensitive and subspecies-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed for the diagnosis of JD by using antigens extracted from the surface of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Nine different chemicals and various intervals of agitation by vortex were evaluated for their ability to extract the surface antigens. Various quantities of surface antigens per well in a 96-well microtiter plate were also tested. The greatest differences in distinguishing between JD-positive and JD-negative serum samples by ethanol vortex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EVELISA) were obtained with surface antigens dislodged from 50 microg/well of bacilli treated with 80% ethanol followed by a 30-second interval of agitation by vortex. The diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of the EVELISA were 97.4% and 100%, respectively. EVELISA plates that had been vacuum-sealed and then tested 7 weeks later (the longest interval tested) had diagnostic specificity and sensitivity rates of 96.9 and 100%, respectively. In a comparative study involving serum samples from 64 fecal culture-positive cattle, the EVELISA identified 96.6% of the low-level fecal shedders and 100% of the midlevel and high-level shedders, whereas the Biocor ELISA detected 13.7% of the low-level shedders, 25% of the mid-level shedders, and 96.2% of the high-level shedders. Thus, the EVELISA was substantially superior to the Biocor ELISA, especially in detecting low-level and midlevel shedders. The EVELISA may form the basis for a highly sensitive and subspecies-specific test for the diagnosis of JD.

A novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infections (Johne's Disease) in cattle

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the diagnosis of Johne's disease (JD), caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, were developed using whole bacilli treated with formaldehyde (called WELISA) or surface antigens obtained by treatment of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis bacilli with formaldehyde and then brief sonication (called SELISA). ELISA plates were coated with either whole bacilli or sonicated antigens and tested for reactivity against serum obtained from JD-positive and JD-negative cattle or from calves experimentally inoculated with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium, or Mycobacterium bovis. Because the initial results obtained from the WELISA and SELISA were similar, most of the subsequent experiments reported herein were performed using the SELISA method. To optimize the SELISA test, various concentrations (3.7 to 37%) of formaldehyde and intervals of sonication (2 to 300 s) were tested. With an increase in formaldehyde concentration and a decreased interval of sonication, there was a concomitant decrease in nonspecific binding by the SELISA. SELISAs prepared by treating M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis with 37% formaldehyde and then a 2-s burst of sonication produced the greatest difference (7x) between M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-negative and M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-positive serum samples. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for JD by the SELISA were greater than 95%. The SELISA showed subspecies-specific detection of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infections in calves experimentally inoculated with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis or other mycobacteria. Based on diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, the SELISA appears superior to the commercial ELISAs routinely used for the diagnosis of JD.

Genomic diversity in Mycobacterium avium: single nucleotide polymorphisms between the S and C strains of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and with M. a. avium

Following identification of large genomic polymorphisms in a previous study, a polymerase chain reaction and sequencing strategy was used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 25 genes in the sheep (S) and cattle (C) strains of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (M. a. paratuberculosis) and between M. a. paratuberculosis and M. a. avium. From 12,117 bp of sequence representing 26 loci across 25 genes, 11 SNPs were identified between the S and C strains in eight genes: hsp65, sodA, dnaA, dnaN, recF, gyrB, inhA, and pks8. An in silico comparison of these M. a. paratuberculosis sequences and the M. a. avium 104 genome revealed 86 SNPs, which corresponded well with similar studies of SNPs in the M. avium complex.

Early antibody responses to experimental Mycobacterium bovis infection of cattle

Bovine tuberculosis persists as a costly zoonotic disease in numerous countries despite extensive eradication and control efforts. Sequential serum samples obtained from Mycobacterium bovis-infected cattle were evaluated for seroreactivity to mycobacterial antigens. Animals received M. bovis by aerosol, intratonsil, intranasal, or intratracheal inoculation. Assays included the multiantigen print immunoassay for determination of antigen recognition patterns, immunoblot analysis for sensitive kinetic studies, and the VetTB STAT-PAK test, a novel, rapid test based on lateral-flow technology. Responses to MPB83 were detected for all M. bovis-infected animals regardless of the route or strain of M. bovis used for inoculation. Other less commonly recognized antigens included ESAT-6, CFP-10, and MPB70. Responses to MPB83 were detectable as early as 4 weeks after inoculation, were boosted upon injection of purified protein derivatives for skin testing, and persisted throughout the course of each of the four challenge studies. MPB83-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) was detected prior to MPB83-specific IgG detection; however, early IgM responses rapidly waned, suggesting a benefit of tests that detect both IgM- and IgG-specific antibodies. The VetTB STAT-PAK test detected responses in sera from 60% (15/25) of the animals by 7 weeks after challenge and detected responses in 96% (24/25) of the animals by 18 weeks. These findings demonstrate the potential for new-generation antibody-based tests for the early detection of M. bovis infection in cattle.

Immunoglobulin G1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of Johne's Disease in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

This study was designed to develop a customized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the serodiagnosis of Johne's disease (JD) in farmed deer. Two antigens were selected on the basis of their superior diagnostic readouts: denatured purified protein derivative (PPDj) and undenatured protoplasmic antigen (PpAg). ELISA development was based on the antigen reactivity of the immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) isotype, which is a highly specific marker for mycobacterial disease seroreactivity in deer. Sensitivity estimates and test parameters were established using 102 Mycobacterium paratuberculosis-infected animals from more than 10 deer herds, and specificity estimates were determined using 508 uninfected animals from 5 known disease-free herds. A receiver-operated characteristic analysis determined that at a cut point of 50 ELISA units, there was a specificity of 99.5% and sensitivities of 84.0% with PPDj antigen, 88.0% with PpAg, and 91.0% when the antigens were used serially in a composite test. Estimated sensitivity was further improved using recombinant protein antigens unique for M. paratuberculosis, which identified infected animals that were unreactive to PPDj or PpAg. While 80% of animals that were seropositive in the IgG1 ELISA had detectable histopathology, the assay could also detect animals with subclinical disease. The test was significantly less sensitive (75%) for animals that were culture positive for M. paratuberculosis but with no detectable pathology than for those with pathological evidence of JD (>90%). When the IgG1 ELISA was used annually over a 4-year period in a deer herd with high levels of clinical JD, it eliminated clinical disease, increased production levels, and reduced JD-related mortality.

Immune responses to defined antigens of Mycobacterium bovis in cattle experimentally infected with Mycobacterium kansasii

Cross-reactive responses elicited by exposure to nontuberculous mycobacteria often confound the interpretation of antemortem tests for Mycobacterium bovis infection of cattle. The use of specific proteins (e.g., ESAT-6, CFP-10, and MPB83), however, generally enhances the specificity of bovine tuberculosis tests. While genes for these proteins are absent from many nontuberculous mycobacteria, they are present in M. kansasii. Instillation of M. kansasii into the tonsillar crypts of calves elicited delayed-type hypersensitivity and in vitro gamma interferon and nitrite concentration responses of leukocytes to M. avium and M. bovis purified protein derivatives (PPDs). While the responses of M. kansasii-inoculated calves to M. avium and M. bovis PPDs were approximately equivalent, the responses of M. bovis-inoculated calves to M. bovis PPD exceeded their respective responses to M. avium PPD. The gamma interferon and nitrite responses of M. kansasii-inoculated calves to recombinant ESAT-6-CFP-10 (rESAT-6-CFP-10) exceeded corresponding responses of noninoculated calves as early as 15 and 30 days after inoculation, respectively, and persisted throughout the study. The gamma interferon and nitrite responses of M. bovis-inoculated calves to rESAT-6-CFP-10 exceeded the corresponding responses of M. kansasii-inoculated calves beginning 30 days after inoculation. By using a lipoarabinomannan-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, specific serum antibodies were detected as early as 50 days after challenge with M. kansasii. By a multiantigen print immunoassay and immunoblotting, serum antibodies to MPB83, but not ESAT-6 or CFP-10, were detected in M. kansasii-inoculated calves; however, responses to MPB83 were notably weaker than those elicited by M. bovis infection. These findings indicate that M. kansasii infection of calves elicits specific responses that may confound the interpretation of bovine tuberculosis tests.

Advances in bovine tuberculosis diagnosis and pathogenesis: What policy makers need to know

The mainstay of tuberculosis diagnosis in cattle and deer has been the tuberculin skin test. Recent advances have allowed the incorporation of blood based assays to the diagnostic arsenal for both cattle and deer. Use of defined and specific antigens has allowed for improved specificity of cell mediated assays in both cattle and deer and advances in antibody tests for tuberculosis have potential for use in free-ranging and captive cervid populations. Combined use of blood-based assays with skin testing will require further understanding of the effect of skin testing on the accuracy of blood based assays. Models of experimental infection of cattle have allowed for increased understanding of natural disease pathogenesis. Differences likely exist; however, between cattle and deer in both disease distribution and primary route of inoculation in naturally infected animals.

New method of serological testing for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) by flow cytometry

Johne's disease (JD) or paratuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), is one of the most widespread and economically important diseases of livestock and wild ruminants worldwide. Attempts to control JD have proven inordinately difficult due to low levels of sensitivity by currently available diagnostic tests, which are also incapable of detecting prepatent MAP infections. In the present work, we describe the use of a flow cytometry method (FCM) for serological diagnosis of subclinical and clinical JD in cattle. The FCM was capable of distinguishing MAP-infected from MAP-non-infected cattle as well as MAP from M. scrofulaceum and M. avium subsp. avium. Results of the FCM were compared to that of a commercially available ELISA using 82 serum samples from JD-positive and JD-negative dairy and beef cattle farms that were separated into the following groups: (1) sera from a JD-free farm; (2) sera from JD-positive farms that had tested negative by ELISA; and (3) sera from JD-positive farms that tested JD-positive by ELISA. The FCM found that groups 1-3 were 6.6%, 73.3%, and 97.3% positive for MAP infections, respectively. By using 30 fecal culture-negative samples from a JD-free farm and 21 fecal culture-positive samples from JD-positive farms, diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the FCM were calculated to be 95.2% and 96.7%, respectively. A retrospective study of 10 JD-positive cows showed that the FCM detected MAP infections 6-44 months earlier than the fecal culture test. Further, the FCM specifically detected MAP infections in serum samples as early as 170 days after experimental inoculation of calves with MAP and did not react with calves inoculated with other mycobacteria. Production of IgG against MAP was detected by FCM in all the calves inoculated with MAP 240 days after inoculation, whereas positive anti-MAP IgG production was not detected in control calves or calves experimentally infected with M. avium subsp. avium or M. bovis. The FCM assay is rapid and is completed in less than 4 h. Moreover, the FCM is objective, technically easy and can be automated for handling large numbers of samples. This novel assay might form the basis of a highly sensitive and subspecies-specific test for the diagnosis of JD.

Vaccination of sheep against M. paratuberculosis: immune parameters and protective efficacy

Johne's disease in ruminants is caused by the pathogenic bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map). Currently available Map commercial vaccines protect against clinical disease but not infection. In this study, the proprietary Johne's vaccine Neoparasec and an aqueous formulation of Map 316F (AquaVax) were tested in sheep. Detailed immunological examination of blood and gut-associated lymphoid tissues was carried out on animals after vaccination and challenge with virulent Map to identify markers of protective immunity. Neoparasec vaccination provided significant protection against disease while AquaVax did not. Immune animals had stronger cell-mediated responses and altered proportions of CD4+, CD8+, CD25+ and B cells in blood, spleen and the gut lymphatics, than diseased animals.

Cytokine gene expression profiles of bovine dendritic cells after interaction with Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (M.a.p.), Escherichia coli (E. coli) or recombinant M.a.p. heat shock protein 70

Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (M.a.p.) resides and replicates in macrophages. Many of the of immune mechanisms aiding M.a.p. survival in the host's cells are known. However, little is known about interactions of M.a.p. with dendritic cells (DC). As DC are important for the induction of protective immunity against infectious diseases, we investigated the interaction of M.a.p. with these cells. Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) was used to analyse differential expression of cytokine genes after 6 h and 24 h of incubation by immature DC that phagocytosed either M.a.p. or Escherichia coli (E. coli). We hypothesized that phagocytosis of E. coli would induce pro-inflammatory cytokines due to abundant presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and that the cytokine expression profile induced by phagocytosis of live M.a.p. would differ. In addition we hypothesized that incubation of immature DC with rHsp70, an immunodominant antigen of M.a.p., would induce a similar profile of cytokine gene expression as phagocytosis of intact M.a.p. However, phagocytosis of both E. coli and M.a.p. resulted in a cytokine gene expression pattern representative of a (pro-)inflammatory reaction, dominated by strong induction of IL-12 gene expression, that was higher after 24 h than after 6 h of incubation, although the response to M.a.p. was less vigorous than to E. coli. Incubation with rHsp70 resulted in a more inhibitory type of cytokine gene expression, with delayed IL-12 gene expression and downregulation of the genes for IL-1beta and IL-6 after 24 h of incubation. We conclude that bovine DC produce an immuno-stimulatory, anti-mycobacterial response to infection with M.a.p., while Hsp70 potentially contributes to pathogen virulence by allowing the bacteria to invade the host cell.

Antibody responses in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) infected with Mycobacterium bovis

Despite having a very low incidence of disease, reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) are subject to tuberculosis (TB) testing requirements for interstate shipment and herd accreditation in the United States. Improved TB tests are desperately needed, as many reindeer are falsely classified as reactors by current testing procedures. Sera collected sequentially from 11 (experimentally) Mycobacterium bovis-infected reindeer and 4 noninfected reindeer were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoblotting, and multiantigen print immunoassay (MAPIA) for antibody specific to M. bovis antigens. Specific antibody was detected as early as 4 weeks after challenge with M. bovis. By MAPIA, sera were tested with 12 native and recombinant antigens, which were used to coat nitrocellulose. All M. bovis-infected reindeer developed responses to MPB83 and a fusion protein, Acr1/MPB83, and 9/11 had responses to MPB70. Other antigens less commonly recognized included MPB59, ESAT-6, and CFP10. Administration of purified protein derivatives for skin testing boosted serum antibody responses, as detected by each of the assays. Of the noninfected reindeer, 2/4 had responses that were detectable immediately following skin testing, which correlated with pathological findings (i.e., presence of granulomatous lesions yet the absence of acid-fast bacteria). The levels of specific antibody produced by infected reindeer appeared to be associated with disease progression but not with cell-mediated immunity. These findings indicate that M. bovis infection of reindeer elicits an antibody response to multiple antigens that can be boosted by skin testing. Serological tests using carefully selected specific antigens have potential for early detection of infections in reindeer.

Antigen recognition by serum antibodies in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) experimentally infected with Mycobacterium bovis

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have emerged as reservoirs of bovine tuberculosis in northern America. For tuberculosis surveillance of deer, antibody-based assays are particularly attractive because deer are handled only once and immediate processing of the sample is not required. Sera collected sequentially from 25 Mycobacterium bovis-infected and 7 noninfected deer were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoblotting, and multiantigen print immunoassay (MAPIA) for immunoglobulin specific to M. bovis antigens. Various routes of experimental M. bovis infection, such as intratonsillar inoculation (n = 11), aerosol (n = 6), and exposure to infected deer (in contact, n = 8), were studied. Upon infection, specific bands of reactivity at approximately 24 to 26 kDa, approximately 33 kDa, approximately 42 kDa, and approximately 75 kDa to M. bovis whole-cell sonicate were detected by immunoblot. Lipoarabinomannan-specific immunoglobulin was detected as early as 36 days postchallenge, and responses were detected for 94% of intratonsillarly and "in-contact"-infected deer. In MAPIA, sera were tested with 12 native and recombinant antigens coated on nitrocellulose. All in-contact-infected (8 of 8) and 10 of 11 intratonsillarly infected deer produced antibody reactive with one or more of the recombinant/native antigens. Responses were boosted by injection of tuberculin for intradermal tuberculin skin testing. Additionally, three of six deer receiving a very low dose of M. bovis via aerosol exposure produced antibody specific to one or more recombinant proteins. M. bovis was isolated from one of three nonresponding aerosol-challenged deer. Of the 12 antigens tested, the most immunodominant protein was MPB83; however, a highly sensitive serodiagnostic test will likely require use of multiple antigens.

Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis recombinant heat shock protein 70 interaction with different bovine antigen-presenting cells

Abstract Heat shock proteins (Hsp) can deliver antigen into the major histocompatibility complex class I presentation pathway of antigen-presenting cells (APC), a process called cross priming, thus stimulating antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell reactions. Hsp were shown to elicit proinflammatory responses in APC. Both processes require interaction of Hsp with APC via specific receptors. This study describes the interaction of recombinant Hsp70 (rHsp70) of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis with bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells that was restricted to CD14+ cells. Characterized monocyte-derived macrophages, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DC) and BoMac, an immortalized bovine macrophage cell line, were used to investigate the interaction of rHsp70 with different bovine APC. Saturation of immature DC with high concentrations of rHsp70 is demonstrated, and it was found that interaction of rHsp70 with DC was related to the maturation stage of the DC. Involvement of CD91 as a cellular receptor for rHsp70 was demonstrated; however, competition studies with immature DC demonstrated that other receptors exist on bovine APC. These data suggest that rHsp70-based vaccines may be useful for the successful immunization of cattle.

Unexpected detection of DNA by nucleic acid sequence-based amplification technique

Nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) is a technique that has been previously shown to selectively mediate the detection of RNA in microbial cells. In a series of tests, nucleic acids were extracted from Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, and subjected to four enzymatic treatments prior to NASBA. These enzymatic treatments were DNase, RNase, S1 nuclease, and RNase/S1 nuclease. The results obtained were different for the two bacteria. With S. enterica serotype Typhimurium, RNase and RNase/S1 nuclease abolished the NASBA signal, as expected. But with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis RNase, S1 nuclease, and RNase/S1 nuclease had no effect on the NASBA signal, whereas DNase treatment abolished it. This indicates that in the latter bacterium, NASBA can detect DNA, and demonstrates the necessity of verifying the nucleic acid origin of a NASBA signal if detection of RNA is objective.

Genetic Variation and Heritability of the Antibody Response to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in Danish Holstein Cows

The purpose of this study was to estimate the genetic variation and the heritability of the ability to establish an immune response by producing antibodies to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Antibody levels were determined using an ELISA and measuring optical density (OD) values from milk samples of 11,535 cows from 99 herds. The pedigree of the 11,535 cows and information about days in milk, parity, milk yield, and others were obtained from the Danish Cattle database. The statistical analyses were made using a bivariate mixed animal model. The bivariate model with daily milk yield and OD as dependent variables showed a significant heritability of the ability to produce Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis antibodies of 0.102 (genetic variance=0.054) and a nonsignificant genetic correlation of -0.037 between daily milk yield and OD. When a sire model was used, the estimated heritability was 0.091. To evaluate whether intrauterine infection could be reflected in the OD, variation among 2715 dam-daughter or maternal sister groups was also estimated. Variation in this data was nonsignificant, possibly because only very few clinical cases or end-stage cows, i.e., heavy bacterial shedders may have been represented among the cows sampled. It does not appear that intrauterine transmission is of major importance in the transmission of paratuberculosis.

Chromium Supplementation Enhances Antibody Response to Vaccination with Tetanus Toxoid in Cattle

Nineteen multiparous late-pregnant dairy cows were divided into an experimental group (n = 10) and a control group (n = 9). Animals in the experimental group were fed a diet supplemented with chromium chelate admixed into wheat meal at 5 mg per animal per day. The supplementation was started 4 weeks before calving and stopped by the end of week 3 after calving. All the cows were vaccinated with tetanus toxoid in the fifth and sixth week of lactation. Monitoring of the characteristics of non-specific immunity did not show any significant between-group differences in total and differential leucocyte counts, percentages of lymphocyte subpopulations, activities of lectin-stimulated lymphocytes, phagocytic activities, and the contents of total immunoglobulins and lysozyme in blood sera. Tetanus toxoid-specific antibody titres, those of the IgG2 isotype in particular, were higher in the experimental group than in the control animals. These results indicate that chromium supplementation at the level used in this experiment modulated the regulation of functions of the immune system.

Early induction of humoral and cellular immune responses during experimental Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection of calves

Johne's disease (paratuberculosis) of cattle is widespread and causes significant economic losses for producers due to decreased production and poor health of affected animals. The chronic nature of the disease and the lack of a reproducible model of infection hinder research efforts. In the present study, instillation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis into the tonsillar crypts of neonatal calves resulted in peripheral colonization as detected by antemortem culture of feces and postmortem (320 days postchallenge) culture of intestinal tissues. Antigen-specific blastogenic, gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), and nitric oxide responses by blood mononuclear cells from infected calves exceeded prechallenge responses beginning 194 days postchallenge. Upon in vitro stimulation with paratuberculosis antigens, CD4(+) cells from infected calves proliferated, produced IFN-gamma, and increased expression of CD26 and CD45RO (indicative of an activated memory phenotype). Utilizing a lipoarabinomannan-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, specific serum immunoglobulin was detected as early as 134 days postchallenge and generally increased after this time point. Two antigens of approximately 50 and approximately 60 kDa were particularly immunodominant early in infection, as shown by immunoblot with serum collected within 2 weeks postchallenge. Findings indicate that the intratonsillar inoculation route will prove useful as an experimental model for paratuberculosis infection. Additionally, this study confirms that mycobacteria-specific antibody is detectable early in the course of experimental Johne's disease, even preceding the development of specific cell-mediated responses.

Peripheral blood-derived bovine dendritic cells promote IgG1-restricted B cell responses in vitro

Regulation of humoral responses involves multiple cell types including the requirements for cognate interactions between T and B cells to drive CD40-dependent responses to T-dependent antigens. A third cell type has also been shown to play an essential role, the dendritic cell (DC). We demonstrate that bovine peripheral blood-derived (PB)-DC are similar in function to features described for human interstitial DC including the production of signature type 2 cytokines [interleukin (IL)-13, IL-10]. PB-DC express moderate-to-high costimulatory molecule expression, and major histocompatibility complex class II is negative for CD14 expression and has low or no expression of CD11c. Consistent with the interstitial phenotype is the ability of PB-DC to influence B cell activation and differentiation via direct expression of CD40L and type 2 cytokines. Collectively, these results suggest that direct B cell-DC interactions may promote an immunoglobulin-isotype expression pattern consistent with type 2 responses, independent of direct T cell involvement.

Mycobacterium paratuberculosis heat shock protein 70 as a tool in control of paratuberculosis

Paratuberculosis in cattle is a chronic intestinal disease in which a distinctive cellular reactivity of a Th1-type preceeds the phase in which antibody titers are easily detectable and the animal becomes clinically ill. During infection with Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (M.a.p), a decrease in CD4 T-helper cells has been observed in the clinical phase. Our ultimate aim is to elicit a cytotoxic reaction against infected macrophages, using recombinant Hsp70 (rHsp70) of M.a.p. as a tool to shuttle antigen into the MHC class I antigen presentation pathway. To investigate the mechanism of rHsp70 as a carrier for antigen into the cell, we studied the interaction between APC and Fitc-labelled rHsp70, using FACS analysis and confocal microscopy. Interaction of rHsp70 with the cell surface of bovine APC, presumably via a receptor, was shown on monocytes, monocyte derived macrophages and dendritic cell (DC). The interaction is detectable on the complete population of freshly derived monocytes, although peak intensity of fluorescence is lower on these cells than on macrophages and DCs. DCs show interaction on a high percentage of the cells, with high intensity, while in the case of macrophages only a subpopulation interacts with rHsp70. Efficient uptake of rHsp70 as compared to OVA is shown. Preincubation of DC with unlabelled rHsp70 leads to a decreased interaction with rHsp70-FITC. DC interacting with rHsp70 in addition showed high expression of MHC I, MHC II, Myd-1 (CD172a) and CD40. Further research will focus on loading of the rHsp70 with M.a.p. antigen for presentation in MHC class I.

Progressive bovine paratuberculosis is associated with local loss of CD4(+) T cells, increased frequency of gamma delta T cells, and related changes in T-cell function

Bovine paratuberculosis is caused by the infection of young calves with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, resulting in a chronic granulomatous infection of predominantly the ileum. After an incubation period of 2 to 5 years, the disease becomes progressive in some of the chronically infected, but asymptomatic cows. This results in a protein-losing enteropathy that will ultimately be fatal. A loss of cell-mediated immune responses in symptomatic animals has been described, but no information is available concerning immune reactivity in the intestine. We sought to investigate putative disease status-associated lymphocyte subset distributions and antigen-specific functional characteristics of mononuclear cells isolated from blood, gut-associated lymphoid tissue, and the intestinal walls of 22 cows in different stages of disease and in control animals. The results demonstrated a significant decrease in CD4(+) T-cell frequency and a significant increase in TcR1-N12(+) gamma delta T-cell frequency in ileum lamina propria lymphocytes of symptomatic animals compared to the asymptomatic shedders. Immunohistology revealed that there was also an absolute decrease in the number of CD4(+) T cells in sections of the lesional ileum. Our findings also indicated that both peripheral and intestinal cell-mediated responses are decreased in symptomatic animals compared to asymptomatic animals. We conclude that the decrease in cell-mediated responses is likely related to a loss of antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells, which is most prominent in the lesional ileum from symptomatic animals, thus contributing to the progressive nature of bovine paratuberculosis.