1
|
da Silva MI, Oli N, Gambonini F, Ott T. Effects of parity and early pregnancy on peripheral blood leukocytes in dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci 2024:S0022-0302(24)01086-5. [PMID: 39216517 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2024-25063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Subfertility remains a major problem in the dairy industry. Only 35-40% of high-yielding dairy cows and 55-65% of nonlactating heifers become pregnant after their first service. The immune system plays a critical role in the establishment of pregnancy. However, it can also create challenges for embryo survival and contribute to reduced fertility. We conducted 2 separate experiments to characterize changes in subsets of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) and their phenotype over the estrous cycle and early pregnancy in heifers and cows. We used flow cytometry and RT-qPCR to assess protein and mRNA expression of molecules important for immune function. We observed that CD14+ monocytes and CD3+ T cells tended to be affected by pregnancy status in heifers, whereas CD8B+ lymphocytes and NCR1+ natural killer (NK) cells were affected during early pregnancy in cows. Changes in expression of immune function proteins appeared to be greater in heifers than cows. To compare the most striking differences between heifers and cows observed in the initial experiments, we conducted a third experiment where PBL sampled from heifers and cows were simultaneously collected and analyzed under the same experimental conditions. Our results indicate that, compared with heifers, cows had greater mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IFNG and IL6) and AHR protein along with greater percentage of MM20A+ neutrophils and myeloid cells expressing SIRPA, ITGAM and ITGAX. Moreover, animals that failed to become pregnant showed altered expression of anti-inflammatory molecules compared with cyclic and pregnant animals. Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that early pregnancy signaling alters the phenotype of immune cells in the peripheral blood and that there are differences in the peripheral immune response to pregnancy between cows and heifers. Because cows have lower conception rates than heifers, it is possible that a more proinflammatory immune status in peripheral blood may play a role in embryo loss.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M I da Silva
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - N Oli
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - F Gambonini
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - T Ott
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
da Silva MI, Oli N, Gambonini F, Ott T. Effects of parity and early pregnancy on peripheral blood leukocytes in dairy cattle. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.06.592827. [PMID: 38766084 PMCID: PMC11100682 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.06.592827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Subfertility remains a major problem in the dairy industry. Only 35-40% of high-yielding dairy cows and 55-65% of nonlactating heifers become pregnant after their first service. The immune system plays a critical role in the establishment of pregnancy. However, it can also create challenges for embryo survival and contribute to reduced fertility. We conducted 2 separate experiments to characterize changes in subsets of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) and their phenotype over the estrous cycle and early pregnancy in heifers and cows. We used flow cytometry and RT-qPCR to assess protein and mRNA expression of molecules important for immune function. We observed that monocytes and T cells were most affected by pregnancy status in heifers, whereas, CD8+ lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells were most affected during early pregnancy in cows. Changes in immune parameters measured appeared to be greater in heifers than cows including changes in expression of numerous immune function molecules. To test the hypothesis, we conducted a third experiment to simultaneously analyze the immunological responses to pregnancy between cows and heifers. We observed that cows had greater expression of proinflammatory cytokines and molecules associated with leukocyte migration and phagocytosis compared to heifers. Moreover, animals that failed to become pregnant showed altered expression of anti-inflammatory molecules. Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that early pregnancy signaling alters the proportions and functions of peripheral blood immune cells and differences between cows and heifers may yield insight into the reduced fertility of mature lactating dairy cows.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M I da Silva
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - N Oli
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - F Gambonini
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - T Ott
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Esteban J, Sánchez-Pérez I, Hamscher G, Miettinen HM, Korkalainen M, Viluksela M, Pohjanvirta R, Håkansson H. Role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) in overall retinoid metabolism: Response comparisons to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure between wild-type and AHR knockout mice. Reprod Toxicol 2021; 101:33-49. [PMID: 33607186 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2021.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Young adult wild-type and aryl hydrocarbon receptor knockout (AHRKO) mice of both sexes and the C57BL/6J background were exposed to 10 weekly oral doses of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; total dose of 200 μg/kg bw) to further characterize the observed impacts of AHR as well as TCDD on the retinoid system. Unexposed AHRKO mice harboured heavier kidneys, lighter livers and lower serum all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and retinol (REOH) concentrations than wild-type mice. Results from the present study also point to a role for the murine AHR in the control of circulating REOH and ATRA concentrations. In wild-type mice, TCDD elevated liver weight and reduced thymus weight, and drastically reduced the hepatic concentrations of 9-cis-4-oxo-13,14-dihydro-retinoic acid (CORA) and retinyl palmitate (REPA). In female wild-type mice, TCDD increased the hepatic concentration of ATRA as well as the renal and circulating REOH concentrations. Renal CORA concentrations were substantially diminished in wild-type male mice exclusively following TCDD-exposure, with a similar tendency in serum. In contrast, TCDD did not affect any of these toxicity or retinoid system parameters in AHRKO mice. Finally, a distinct sex difference occurred in kidney concentrations of all the analysed retinoid forms. Together, these results strengthen the evidence of a mandatory role of AHR in TCDD-induced retinoid disruption, and suggest that the previously reported accumulation of several retinoid forms in the liver of AHRKO mice is a line-specific phenomenon. Our data further support participation of AHR in the control of liver and kidney development in mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Javier Esteban
- Instituto De Bioingeniería, Universidad Miguel Hernández De Elche, Elche, Alicante, Spain.
| | - Ismael Sánchez-Pérez
- Instituto De Bioingeniería, Universidad Miguel Hernández De Elche, Elche, Alicante, Spain.
| | - Gerd Hamscher
- Institute of Food Chemistry and Food Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Hanna M Miettinen
- School of Pharmacy (Toxicology) and Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Merja Korkalainen
- Environmental Health Unit, Finnish Insitute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Matti Viluksela
- School of Pharmacy (Toxicology) and Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Environmental Health Unit, Finnish Insitute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Raimo Pohjanvirta
- Department of Food Hygiene & Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Mustialankatu 1, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Helen Håkansson
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Girer NG, Tomlinson CR, Elferink CJ. The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Energy Balance: The Road from Dioxin-Induced Wasting Syndrome to Combating Obesity with Ahr Ligands. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:E49. [PMID: 33374508 PMCID: PMC7793057 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) has been studied for over 40 years, yet our understanding of this ligand-activated transcription factor remains incomplete. Each year, novel findings continually force us to rethink the role of the AHR in mammalian biology. The AHR has historically been studied within the context of potent activation via AHR agonist 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), with a focus on how the AHR mediates TCDD toxicity. Research has subsequently revealed that the AHR is actively involved in distinct physiological processes ranging from the development of the liver and reproductive organs, to immune system function and wound healing. More recently, the AHR was implicated in the regulation of energy metabolism and is currently being investigated as a potential therapeutic target for obesity. In this review, we re-trace the steps through which the early toxicological studies of TCDD led to the conceptual framework for the AHR as a potential therapeutic target in metabolic disease. We additionally discuss the key discoveries that have been made concerning the role of the AHR in energy metabolism, as well as the current and future directions of the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel G. Girer
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77550, USA;
| | - Craig R. Tomlinson
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA;
| | - Cornelis J. Elferink
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77550, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hoyeck MP, Blair H, Ibrahim M, Solanki S, Elsawy M, Prakash A, Rick KRC, Matteo G, O'Dwyer S, Bruin JE. Long-term metabolic consequences of acute dioxin exposure differ between male and female mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1448. [PMID: 31996693 PMCID: PMC6989671 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57973-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have consistently shown an association between exposure to environmental pollutants and diabetes risk in humans. We have previously shown that direct exposure of mouse and human islets (endocrine pancreas) to the highly persistent pollutant TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) causes reduced insulin secretion ex vivo. Furthermore, a single high-dose of TCDD (200 µg/kg) suppressed both fasting and glucose-induced plasma insulin levels and promoted beta-cell apoptosis after 7 days in male mice. The current study investigated the longer-term effects of a single high-dose TCDD injection (20 µg/kg) on glucose metabolism and beta cell function in male and female C57Bl/6 mice. TCDD-exposed males displayed modest fasting hypoglycemia for ~4 weeks post-injection, reduced fasting insulin levels for up to 6 weeks, increased insulin sensitivity, decreased beta cell area, and increased delta cell area. TCDD-exposed females also had long-term suppressed basal plasma insulin levels, and abnormal insulin secretion for up to 6 weeks. Unlike males, TCDD did not impact insulin sensitivity or islet composition in females, but did cause transient glucose intolerance 4 weeks post-exposure. Our results show that a single exposure to dioxin can suppress basal insulin levels long-term in both sexes, but effects on glucose homeostasis are sex-dependent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myriam P Hoyeck
- Department of Biology & Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Hannah Blair
- Department of Biology & Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Muna Ibrahim
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Shivani Solanki
- Department of Biology & Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Mariam Elsawy
- Department of Biology & Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Arina Prakash
- Department of Biology & Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Kayleigh R C Rick
- Department of Biology & Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Geronimo Matteo
- Department of Biology & Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Shannon O'Dwyer
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jennifer E Bruin
- Department of Biology & Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor is indispensable for β-naphthoflavone-induced novel food avoidance and may be involved in LiCl-triggered conditioned taste aversion in rats. Physiol Behav 2019; 204:58-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|