Inflammatory Cytokine Gene Expression in Different Types of Granulomatous Lesions during Asymptomatic Stages of Bovine Paratuberculosis

Major membrane protein of Mycobacterium avium subp. paratuberculosis activates immune and autophagic pathways in bovine monocyte-derived macrophages

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map), the etiological agent of Johne's disease in ruminants, poses challenges to veterinary health and food safety. Despite an immune response that partially controls early infection, Map persists in macrophages through mechanisms not well understood. Here, we explored how the Map major membrane protein (MMP) modulates immune pathways in bovine monocyte-derived macrophages (MoMΦs). MMP is a key component of the bacterial cell membrane recognized in cattle with Johne's disease, making it a critical antigenic target for immune studies. Using high-resolution transcriptomics, we identified that MMP stimulation rapidly activates genes linked to pro-inflammatory cytokine signaling, antigen processing, and presentation via MHC I and II pathways. Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses highlighted upregulation of TNF, IL-17, and NF-κB signaling cascades, suggesting an immune signaling that may foster cytotoxic T cell development. Phosphorylation assays confirmed that MMP triggers MAPK activation within minutes, implicating both p38 and JNK1/2 in early macrophage responses. Machine learning approaches revealed subtle yet significant MMP-specific gene signatures including ATG5 and ATG12, implicated in autophagosome assembly. These findings point to a dynamic interplay between antibacterial autophagy and immunostimulatory pathways elicited by MMP in bovine macrophages. Importantly, our results suggest the relevance of MMP as a potential vaccine target, as it not only elicits immune-activating signals but also engages host defenses critical to restricting Map survival. Overall, this work provides an ex vivo framework for delineating the molecular underpinnings of Map infection, offering new insights into macrophage-based immunity and informing development of novel therapeutic and prophylactic strategies against paratuberculosis. Our data open avenues for translational studies, illuminating the interplay between MMP, macrophages, and protective host immunity.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Candidate Vaccine Strains Are Pro-apoptotic in RAW 264.7 Murine Macrophages

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the etiological agent of Johne's disease, a severe gastroenteritis of ruminants. This study developed a model cell culture system to rapidly screen MAP mutants with vaccine potential for apoptosis. Two wild-type strains, a transposon mutant, and two deletion mutant MAP strains (MOI of 10 with 1.2 × 10⁶ CFU) were tested in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages to determine if they induce apoptosis and/or necrosis. Both deletion mutants were previously shown to be attenuated and immunogenic in primary bovine macrophages. All strains had similar growth rates, but cell morphology indicated that both deletion mutants were elongated with cell wall bulging. Cell death kinetics were followed by a real-time cellular assay to measure luminescence (apoptosis) and fluorescence (necrosis). A 6 h infection period was the appropriate time to assess apoptosis that was followed by secondary necrosis. Apoptosis was also quantified via DAPI-stained nuclear morphology and validated via flow cytometry. The combined analysis confirmed the hypothesis that candidate vaccine deletion mutants are pro-apoptotic in RAW 264.7 cells. In conclusion, the increased apoptosis seen in the deletion mutants correlates with the attenuated phenotype and immunogenicity observed in bovine macrophages, a property associated with good vaccine candidates.

Effects of Paratuberculosis Vaccination at Different Ages in a Dairy Goat Herd: A 2-Year Follow-Up

Vaccination could be considered as an effective method for paratuberculosis control, although controversial, with a need for investigation in some aspects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of vaccination, depending on the age of the animals, on their immune response, the reduction of paratuberculosis cases, mortality and culled animals in a commercial dairy herd. Goats from three different ages were immunized with the inactivated Gudair^® vaccine. Peripheral antibody and IFN-γ output were evaluated for 21 months post-vaccination (mpv) and intradermal skin tests (IDSTs) for tuberculosis, with avian- and bovine-purified protein derivatives (PPD), were carried out at 6 and at 18 mpv to evaluate the humoral and cellular immune peripheral responses, respectively. The number of dead or culled animals, regardless of the reason, was also monitored and the causes of death determined by pathological examination. A significant increase in the production of IFN-γ was observed in all the vaccinated groups when the blood samples were stimulated with avian PPD, from 3 mpv to 18 mpv, and with bovine PPD, between 3 and 21 mpv. Moreover, serum antibody levels increased between 3 and 21 mpv in all vaccinated groups. The highest levels were found in animals vaccinated at 5 months, and the lowest in adult individuals. No positive reactants to tuberculosis were found by intradermal skin test. No animal losses associated with clinical paratuberculosis were detected in any of the groups. The number of total culled animals was significantly lower in the vaccinated than in the unvaccinated groups, especially on 1.5-month-old vaccinated kids. These results suggest that vaccination of paratuberculosis, especially in young animals, could induce heterologous protection.

The Development of 3D Bovine Intestinal Organoid Derived Models to Investigate Mycobacterium Avium ssp Paratuberculosis Pathogenesis

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the etiological agent of Johne's Disease, a chronic enteritis of ruminants prevalent across the world. It is estimated that approximately 50% of UK dairy herds are infected with MAP, but this is likely an underestimate of the true prevalence. Infection can result in reduced milk yield, infertility and premature culling of the animal, leading to significant losses to the farming economy and negatively affecting animal welfare. Understanding the initial interaction between MAP and the host is critical to develop improved diagnostic tools and novel vaccines. Here we describe the characterisation of three different multicellular in vitro models derived from bovine intestinal tissue, and their use for the study of cellular interactions with MAP. In addition to the previously described basal-out 3D bovine enteroids, we have established viable 2D monolayers and 3D apical-out organoids. The apical-out enteroids differ from previously described bovine enteroids as the apical surface is exposed on the exterior surface of the 3D structure, enabling study of host-pathogen interactions at the epithelial surface without the need for microinjection. We have characterised the cell types present in each model system using RT-qPCR to detect predicted cell type-specific gene expression, and confocal microscopy for cell type-specific protein expression. Each model contained the cells present in the original bovine intestinal tissue, confirming they were representative of the bovine gut. Exposure of the three model systems to the K10 reference strain of MAP K10, and a recent Scottish isolate referred to as C49, led to the observation of intracellular bacteria by confocal microscopy. Enumeration of the bacteria by quantification of genome copy number, indicated that K10 was less invasive than C49 at early time points in infection in all model systems. This study shows that bovine enteroid-based models are permissive to infection with MAP and that these models may be useful in investigating early stages of MAP pathogenesis in a physiologically relevant in vitro system, whilst reducing the use of animals in scientific research.

Bos taurus: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4C90C4FA-6296-4972-BE6A-5EF578677D64

Antibodies from healthy or paratuberculosis infected cows have different effects on Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis invasion in a calf ileal loop model

In this work, we used a calf ileal loop model to evaluate whether the preincubation of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) with antibodies from healthy, MAP-positive or Lipoarabinomannan (LAM) immunized cows could affect the results of infection after 3.5 h. Bacterial load in tissue was assessed by Ziehl-Neelsen and by culture for each loop. MAP was detectable in all infected loops after 3.5 h.p.i.; although the presence of antibodies from MAP-positive cows significantly reduced bacterial load in loops as compared with antibodies from healthy donors (by Ziehl-Neelsen and culture, p-value < 0.003 and 0.0203, respectively). A possible direct effect of antibodies on MAP viability was shown to be not significant. Severity of histopathologic changes induced by MAP infection also varied according to the pretreatment: MAP induced less changes when inoculated in the presence of antibodies from MAP-positive cows as compared with antibodies from healthy donors. Overall, our results show that the presence of antibodies from MAP-positive cows reduced MAP invasion and consequent early histological changes in this ileal short-term loop model. These results may suggest a protective role of antibodies in the response against MAP at the portal of entry in cattle.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Virulence: A Review

To propose a solution for control of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infections in animals as well as in humans, and develop effective prevention, diagnostic and treatment strategies, it is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms of MAP pathogenesis. In the present review, we discuss the mechanisms utilised by MAP to overcome the host defense system to achieve the virulence status. Putative MAP virulence genes are mentioned and their probable roles in view of other mycobacteria are discussed. This review provides information on MAP strain diversity, putative MAP virulence factors and highlights the knowledge gaps regarding MAP virulence mechanisms that may be important in control and prevention of paratuberculosis.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis MAP1889c Protein Induces Maturation of Dendritic Cells and Drives Th2-biased Immune Responses

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is a causative agent of chronic granulomatous bowel disease in animals and is associated with various autoimmune diseases in humans including Crohn’s disease. A good understanding of the host-protective immune response and antibacterial immunity controlled by MAP and its components may contribute to the development of effective control strategies. MAP1889c was identified as a seroreactive antigen in Crohn’s disease patients. In this study, we investigated the immunological function of MAP1889c in dendritic cells (DCs). MAP1889c stimulated DCs to increase expression of co-stimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86) and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class molecules and to secret higher interleukin (IL)-10 and moderate IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-12p70 levels through the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 pathway. MAP1889c-induced DC activation was mediated by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), cAMPp-response element binding protein (CREB), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). In particular, the CREB signal was essential for MAP1889c-mediated IL-10 production but not TNF-α and IL-12p70. In addition, MAP1889c-matured DCs induced T cell proliferation and drove the Th2 response. Production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines was suppressed and enhanced respectively by MAP1889c pretreatment in DCs and T cells. Furthermore, treatment of MAP1889c in M. avium-infected macrophages promoted intracellular bacterial growth and IL-10 production. These findings suggest that MAP1889c modulates the host antimycobacterial response and may be a potential virulence factor during MAP infection.

Biomarkers for Detecting Resilience against Mycobacterial Disease in Animals

Paratuberculosis and bovine tuberculosis are two mycobacterial diseases of ruminants which have a considerable impact on livestock health, welfare, and production. These are chronic "iceberg" diseases which take years to manifest and in which many subclinical cases remain undetected. Suggested biomarkers to detect infected or diseased animals are numerous and include cytokines, peptides, and expression of specific genes; however, these do not provide a strong correlation to disease. Despite these advances, disease detection still relies heavily on dated methods such as detection of pathogen shedding, skin tests, or serology. Here we review the evidence for suitable biomarkers and their mechanisms of action, with a focus on identifying animals that are resilient to disease. A better understanding of these factors will help establish new strategies to control the spread of these diseases.

Increased seroreactivity to proinsulin and homologous mycobacterial peptides in latent autoimmune diabetes in adults

Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) is a slowly progressing form of immune-mediated diabetes that combines phenotypical features of type 2 diabetes (T2D) with the presence of islet cell antigens detected in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Heterogeneous clinical picture have led to the classification of patients based on the levels of antibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GADA) that correlate with clinical phenotypes closer to T1D or T2D when GADA titers are high or low, respectively. To date, LADA etiology remains elusive despite numerous studies investigating on genetic predisposition and environmental risk factors. To our knowledge, this is the first study aimed at evaluation of a putative role played by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) as an infective agent in LADA pathogenesis. MAP is known to cause chronic enteritis in ruminants and has been associated with autoimmune disorders in humans. We analyzed seroreactivity of 223 Sardinian LADA subjects and 182 healthy volunteers against MAP-derived peptides and their human homologs of proinsulin and zinc transporter 8 protein. A significantly elevated positivity for MAP/proinsulin was detected among patients, with the highest prevalence in the 32-41-year-old T1D-like LADA subgroup, supporting our hypothesis of a possible MAP contribution in the development of autoimmunity.

The role of IL-10 in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is an intracellular pathogen and is the causative agent of Johne's disease of domestic and wild ruminants. Johne's disease is characterized by chronic granulomatous enteritis leading to substantial economic losses to the livestock sector across the world. MAP persistently survives in phagocytic cells, most commonly in macrophages by disrupting its early antibacterial activity. MAP triggers several signaling pathways after attachment to pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) of phagocytic cells. MAP adopts a survival strategy to escape the host defence mechanisms via the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. The signaling mechanism initiated through toll like receptor 2 (TLR2) activates MAPK-p38 results in up-regulation of interleukin-10 (IL-10), and subsequent repression of inflammatory cytokines. The anti-inflammatory response of IL-10 is mediated through membrane-bound IL-10 receptors, leading to trans-phosphorylation and activation of Janus Kinase (JAK) family receptor-associated tyrosine kinases (TyKs), that promotes the activation of latent transcription factors, signal transducer and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3). IL-10 is an important inhibitory cytokine playing its role in blocking phagosome maturation and apoptosis. In the current review, we describe the importance of IL-10 in early phases of the MAP infection and regulatory mechanisms of the IL-10 dependent pathways in paratuberculosis. We also highlight the strategies to target IL-10, MAPK and STAT3 in other infections caused by intracellular pathogens.

Macrophage Subsets Within Granulomatous Intestinal Lesions in Bovine Paratuberculosis

Animals infected with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis show a variety of granulomatous lesions that range from focal forms, seen in the subclinical stages, to diffuse lesions associated with clinical signs. The aim of this study was to phenotypically characterize the macrophages present in the different lesion types using immunohistochemical methods. Lesions from a total of 23 animals with bovine paratuberculosis, natural and experimental, were examined by immunohistochemistry. Antibodies against inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), CD163, interleukin 10 (IL-10), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 (Nramp-1), calprotectin, Ki-67, CD68, lysozyme, and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) molecules were employed. Samples were scored semiquantitatively using a complete histological score (H-score), reflecting the staining intensity and the percentage of immunolabeled macrophages. Differences in the H-score were seen depending on the lesion type. In focal lesions, with none or few acid-fast bacilli (AFB), macrophages were polarized toward M1 phenotype, with high H-scores for iNOS and TNF-α. Diffuse multibacillary lesions showed M2 differentiation, with high expression of CD163, IL-10, and TGF-β as well as Nramp-1 and MHC class II antigens. Macrophages in diffuse paucibacillary forms showed high H-scores for iNOS but low ones for TNF-α. Diffuse lesions, either multibacillary or paucibacillary, showed high calprotectin and low Ki-67 expression, suggesting a progressive character, while focal forms, with low H-scores for these antigens, would be consistent with latency. Lysozyme and CD68 expression were related to the amount of AFB. H-score for Iba-1 antibody was similar among all types. The findings of this study provide insights into the polarization status of macrophages and lesion development in bovine paratuberculosis.

Predicting the Role of IL-10 in the Regulation of the Adaptive Immune Responses in Mycobacterium avium Subsp. paratuberculosis Infections Using Mathematical Models

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes Johne’s disease (JD) in cattle and other animals. The hallmark of MAP infection in the early stages is a strong protective cell-mediated immune response (Th1-type), characterized by antigen-specific γ-interferon (IFN-γ). The Th1 response wanes with disease progression and is supplanted by a non-protective humoral immune response (Th2-type). Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is believed to play a critical role in the regulation of host immune responses to MAP infection and potentially orchestrate the reversal of Th1/Th2 immune dominance during disease progression. However, how its role correlates with MAP infection remains to be completely deciphered. We developed mathematical models to explain probable mechanisms for IL-10 involvement in MAP infection. We tested our models with IL-4, IL-10, IFN-γ, and MAP fecal shedding data collected from calves that were experimentally infected and followed over a period of 360 days in the study of Stabel and Robbe-Austerman (2011). Our models predicted that IL-10 can have different roles during MAP infection, (i) it can suppress the Th1 expression, (ii) can enhance Th2 (IL-4) expression, and (iii) can suppress the Th1 expression in synergy with IL-4. In these predicted roles, suppression of Th1 responses was correlated with increased number of MAP. We also predicted that Th1-mediated responses (IFN-γ) can lead to high expression of IL-10 and that infection burden regulates Th2 suppression by the Th1 response. Our models highlight areas where more experimental data is required to refine our model assumptions, and further test and investigate the role of IL-10 in MAP infection.

Potential application of emerging diagnostic techniques to the diagnosis of bovine Johne's disease (paratuberculosis)

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) causes Johne's disease (paratuberculosis), a chronic wasting disease in cattle with important welfare, economic and potential public health implications. Current tests are unable to recognise all stages of the disease, which makes it difficult to diagnose and control. This review explores emerging diagnostic techniques that could complement and enhance the diagnosis of MAP infection, including bacteriophage analysis, new MAP-specific antigens, host protein expression in response to infection, transcriptomic studies, analysis of microRNAs and investigation of the gastrointestinal microbiome. It emphasises the inherent challenges of diagnosing bovine Johne's disease and investigates novel areas which may have the potential both to advance our understanding of the immunopathology of MAP infection and to augment current diagnostic tests.

Host responses to persistent Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in surgically isolated bovine ileal segments

A lack of appropriate disease models has limited our understanding of the pathogenesis of persistent enteric infections with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. A model was developed for the controlled delivery of a defined dose of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis to surgically isolated ileal segments in newborn calves. The stable intestinal segments enabled the characterization of host responses to persistent M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infections after a 9-month period, including an analysis of local mucosal immune responses relative to an adjacent uninfected intestinal compartment. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis remained localized at the initial site of intestinal infection and was not detected by PCR in the mesenteric lymph node. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-specific T cell proliferative responses included both CD4 and γδ T cell receptor (γδTcR) T cell responses in the draining mesenteric lymph node. The levels of CD8(+) and γδTcR(+) T cells increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the lamina propria, and M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-specific tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and gamma interferon secretion by lamina propria leukocytes was also significantly (P < 0.05) increased. There was a significant (P < 0.05) accumulation of macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) in the lamina propria, but the expression of mucosal toll-like receptors 1 through 10 was not significantly changed by M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection. In conclusion, surgically isolated ileal segments provided a model system for the establishment of a persistent and localized enteric M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in cattle and facilitated the analysis of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-specific changes in mucosal leukocyte phenotype and function. The accumulation of DC subpopulations in the lamina propria suggests that further investigation of mucosal DCs may provide insight into host responses to M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection and improve vaccine strategies to prevent M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection.

Infection of Primary Bovine Macrophages with Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis Suppresses Host Cell Apoptosis

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is able to survive intracellularly in macrophages by preventing normal phagosome maturation processes utilized to destroy bacteria. Infected macrophages often undergo apoptotic cell death to efficiently present bacterial antigens to the host adaptive immune system in a process known as efferocytosis. Recent studies with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) showed that macrophages infected with MTB are less likely to undergo apoptosis than control, uninfected cells. It is proposed that regulation of macrophage apoptosis is an important immune evasion tactic for MTB. Based on the similarity of MAP and MTB, we hypothesized that MAP-infected macrophages would be resistant to apoptosis compared to uninfected cells within the same culture and to cells from uninfected cultures. Our results demonstrate that, indeed, populations of MAP-infected macrophages contain fewer apoptotic cells than similar populations of control cells, and that MAP infection reduces the sensitivity of infected macrophages to induction of apoptosis by H₂O₂. We further demonstrate that MAP-infected cells contain reduced caspase activity for caspases 3/7, 8, and 9. Reduced caspase activity in MAP-infected macrophages is also maintained after H₂O₂ induction. This reduction in caspase activity is accompanied by a pronounced reduction in transcription of caspase genes encoding caspases 3, 7, and 8, but not for caspase 9, when compared to control, uninfected cells. Furthermore, MAP infection drastically effects the expression of several host cell proteins important for regulation of apoptosis. Studies using mutant MAP strains demonstrate the importance of bacterial specific factors in the control of host macrophage apoptosis. Together these data demonstrate that MAP specific factors may prevent caspase activity and caspase gene transcription as well as apoptosis signaling protein expression, resulting in decreased spontaneous host cell apoptosis and decreased sensitivity to apoptosis inducing agents.

Diverse cytokine profile from mesenteric lymph node cells of cull cows severely affected with Johne's disease

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, the causative agent of Johne's disease, is able to dampen or distort immune responses at the mucosal sites and coexist with a massive infiltration of immune cells in the gastrointestinal tract. Knowledge of the mechanism by which M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis subverts the immune response at the mucosal level in cattle is important for the development of improved disease control strategies, including new vaccines and diagnostic tests. In this study, 38 cull cows from herds infected with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis were divided into four groups, based on M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis culture from gut tissues and histopathological lesion scores. Cytokine gene expression and secretion from M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis sonicate-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cultures of the animals were compared. Antigen stimulation of MLN cells from the severely lesioned group resulted in significant upregulation of the mRNA expression of five cytokines, gamma interferon (IFN-γ), interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-13, IL-17A, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), which have a diverse range of functions, while there was no significant upregulation of these cytokines by the other groups. There were major differences between the responses of the PBMC and MLN cultures, with higher levels of secreted IFN-γ released from the MLN cultures and, conversely, higher levels of IL-10 released from the PBMC cultures. The upregulation of all five cytokines from cells at the site of infection in the severely lesioned animals suggested a dysregulated immune response, contributing to a failure to clear infection in this group of animals.

Immunoregulatory cytokines are associated with protection from immunopathology following Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in red deer

Although the causative agent of Johne's disease, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, is well known, the etiology of disease and the immune responses generated in response to infection are still poorly understood. Knowledge of definitive markers of protective immunity, infection, and the establishment of chronic granulomatous Johne's disease is necessary to advance vaccine and diagnostic development. We sought to profile the immune responses occurring within jejunal lymph nodes of experimentally challenged red deer (Cervus elaphus). Quantitative PCR was utilized to measure a range of cytokines, signaling molecules, and transcription factors involved in Th1, Th2, Treg, and Th17 immune responses. Significant differences in gene expression were observed between control, minimally diseased, and severely diseased animals, with severely diseased animals showing elevated proinflammatory transcripts and reduced anti-inflammatory transcripts. We identified a proinflammatory cytokine milieu of gamma interferon, interleukin-1α (IL-1α), and IL-17, which may contribute to the immunopathology observed during clinical Johne's disease and suggest that Th2 and Treg immune responses may play an important role in controlling the development of immunopathology in infected animals.

High gene expression of inflammatory markers and IL-17A correlates with severity of injection site reactions of Atlantic salmon vaccinated with oil-adjuvanted vaccines

Background

Two decades after the introduction of oil-based vaccines in the control of bacterial and viral diseases in farmed salmonids, the mechanisms of induced side effects manifested as intra-abdominal granulomas remain unresolved. Side effects have been associated with generation of auto-antibodies and autoimmunity but the underlying profile of inflammatory and immune response has not been characterized. This study was undertaken with the aim to elucidate the inflammatory and immune mechanisms of granuloma formation at gene expression level associated with high and low side effect (granuloma) indices.

Groups of Atlantic salmon parr were injected intraperitoneally with oil-adjuvanted vaccines containing either high or low concentrations of Aeromonas salmonicida or Moritella viscosa antigens in order to induce polarized (severe and mild) granulomatous reactions. The established granulomatous reactions were confirmed by gross and histological methods at 3 months post vaccination when responses were known to have matured. The corresponding gene expression patterns in the head kidneys were profiled using salmonid cDNA microarrays followed by validation by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). qPCR was also used to examine the expression of additional genes known to be important in the adaptive immune response.

Results

Granulomatous lesions were observed in all vaccinated fish. The presence of severe granulomas was associated with a profile of up-regulation of innate immunity-related genes such as complement factors C1q and C6, mannose binding protein, lysozyme C, C-type lectin receptor, CD209, Cathepsin D, CD63, LECT-2, CC chemokine and metallothionein. In addition, TGF-β (p = 0.001), IL-17A (p = 0.007) and its receptor (IL-17AR) (p = 0.009) representing T_H17 were significantly up-regulated in the group with severe granulomas as were arginase and IgM. None of the genes directly reflective of T_H1 T cell lineage (IFN-γ, CD4) or T_H2 (GATA-3) responses were differentially expressed.

Conclusions

Granulomatous reactions following vaccination with oil-based vaccines in Atlantic salmon have the profile of strong expression of genes related to innate immune responses. The expression of TGF-β, IL-17A and its receptor suggests an involvement of T_H17 T cell lineage and is in conformity with strong infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages into inflamed areas. Arginase upregulation shows that macrophages in these reactions are alternatively activated, indicating also a T_H2-profile. To what extent the expression of IL-17A and its receptor reflects an autoimmune vaccine-based reaction remains elusive but would be in conformity with previous observations of autoimmune reactions in salmon when vaccinated with oil-based vaccines.

Identification of immune parameters to differentiate disease states among sheep infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

Johne's disease, a chronic enteritis of ruminants, is caused by infection with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Three distinct forms have been observed in sheep: paucibacillary disease (PB), multibacillary disease (MB), and asymptomatic infection (AS). In this study, immune parameters for animals naturally infected with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and identified postmortem as having PB, MB, or AS were compared to provide a further understanding of the immunological reactivity contributing to or resulting from these different disease states in sheep. PB was associated with strong ex vivo M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis antigen-stimulated gamma interferon responses, pronounced increases in CD25(+) T-cell frequencies in circulation, antibody production, and a B-cell population that expanded significantly upon ex vivo antigenic stimulation. The MB group featured the highest antibody levels and a lack of cellular immune responsiveness to the M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis antigen. The AS group expressed an immunological phenotype intermediate between that for noninfected control animals and that for the PB group. The relationship between immune responses and disease severity within the PB group was investigated more closely; significant positive correlations were observed between disease severity and both the CD8(+) population in the circulating blood and the expression of interleukin-4 mRNA in antigen-stimulated blood samples ex vivo. Together, these data point toward distinct immune profiles in sheep that correspond to different Johne's disease states, which can be determined from circulating blood and/or from localized intestinal tract tissue samples.

Identification of differentially expressed genes in ileum, intestinal lymph node and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of sheep infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis using differential display polymerase chain reaction

Discovery of differentially expressed genes aids in understanding molecular mechanisms underpinning normal and pathological states. When studying animals such as sheep where the entire genome has not been characterized, techniques that do not require knowledge of gene sequences are particularly advantageous. We used one such technique, differential display polymerase chain reaction (DD-PCR), to identify genes that had different degrees of expression in response to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (M. ptb), the organism that causes Johne's disease in ruminants. Differentially expressed genes were validated by quantitative PCR using especially selected reference genes established in this study. Sheep (n=47) were classified according to history of exposure to M. ptb and infection status by histology and faecal and tissue culture. Differences in levels of gene expression were analyzed using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) in a linear mixed model. Five genes from the ileum and 17 genes from lymph node were differentially expressed in ovine Johne's disease. Expression of seven of these genes was also significantly different in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Genes identified in association with M. ptb infection had a wide range of functions in pathways including: antigen presentation, signal transduction and cell differentiation, TLR signaling, immune cell activation and chemokine functions, granulomatous inflammation, Th1 suppression and apoptosis.

Expression of NRAMP1 and iNOS in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis naturally infected cattle

Paratuberculosis (PTB) is a chronic disease caused by M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) that affects several animal species, and some studies have suggested that there may be a relationship between Crohn's disease and PTB. Significant aspects of PTB pathogenesis are not yet completely understood, such as the role of macrophages. Natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 (NRAMP1) and the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) molecules have shown nonspecific effects against several intracellular pathogens residing within macrophages. However, these molecules have been scarcely studied during natural infection with MAP. In this work, changes in NRAMP1 and iNOS expression were surveyed by immunohistochemistry in tissue samples from MAP-infected cattle and healthy controls. Our findings show strong specific immunolabeling against both NRAMP1 and iNOS molecules, throughout granulomatous PTB-compatible lesions in ileum and ileocaecal lymph nodes from paratuberculous cattle compared with uninfected controls, suggesting a relationship between the expression of these molecules and the pathogenesis of PTB disease.

Differential immune responses of red Deer (Cervus elaphus) following experimental challenge with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

Immune responses of red deer (Cervus elaphus) that presented with different levels of paucibacillary pathology were profiled to detail immune changes during the progression of Johne's disease. Immune responses were monitored using an immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) ELISA, and flow cytometry. Animals in the study were divided into outcome groups postmortem according to disease severity. All animals mounted IgG1 antibody and IFN-gamma responses to both the vaccination and experimental challenges. The Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis-specific IgG1 antibody responses in the challenged group showed marked differences between infected and severely diseased animals. Slightly higher IFN-gamma responses were seen in infected animals compared with severely diseased animals. No significant changes were seen in the phenotype of lymphocyte populations investigated. Vaccination with killed M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in mineral oil adjuvant reduced the level of severe disease; however, it obscured immunological differences between the infected and severely diseased groups. This suggests protection is not exclusively mediated via the presence of a type 1 response and, furthermore, the presence of a type 2 response is compatible with protection. These profiles provide information on the different immune processes in Johne's disease progression.

Live Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis and a killed-bacterium vaccine induce distinct subcutaneous granulomas, with unique cellular and cytokine profiles

Type II (lepromatous) granulomas are characterized by a lack of organization, with large numbers of macrophages heavily burdened with bacilli and disorganized lymphocyte infiltrations. Type II granulomas are a characteristic feature of the enteric lesions that develop during clinical Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in the bovine. Considering the poor organization and function of these granulomas, it is our hypothesis that dendritic cell (DC) function within the granuloma is impaired during initial infection. In order to test our hypothesis, we used a subcutaneous M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection model to examine early DC function within M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-induced granulomas. In this model, we first characterized the morphology, cellular composition, and cytokine profiles of subcutaneous granulomas that develop 7 days after subcutaneous inoculation with either vaccine or live M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Second, we isolated CD11c(+) cells from within granulomas and measured their maturation status and ability to induce T-cell responses. Our results demonstrate that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis or vaccine administration resulted in the formation of distinct granulomas with unique cellular and cytokine profiles. These distinct profiles corresponded to significant differences in the phenotypes and functional responses of DCs from within the granulomas. Specifically, the DCs from the M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-induced granulomas had lower levels of expression of costimulatory and chemokine receptors, suggesting limited maturation. This DC phenotype was associated with weaker induction of T-cell proliferation. Taken together, these findings suggest that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in vivo influences DC function, which may shape the developing granuloma and initial local protection.

Differential cytokine gene expression profiles in the three pathological forms of sheep paratuberculosis

Background

Johne's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gut caused by infection with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Symptoms include wasting, diarrhoea, loss of condition and eventual death. Three forms of Johne's disease have been described in sheep – paucibacillary, multibacillary and asymptomatic. The paucibacillary form is characterized by an inflammatory, Th1-type immune response. The multibacillary form of the disease, which disseminates the infection, is characterized by macrophage infiltration mediated by a Th2-type immune response, and asymptomatic animals have no clinical symptoms or pathology but are infected with MAP. What determines these three forms of the disease is unknown. To further understand these differences, we used real-time RT-PCR to compare the expression of thirteen cytokine and cytokine-related genes in ileal tissue from sheep with the three forms of the disease.

Results

Three pathological forms of sheep paratuberculosis were defined on the basis of histopathology, cytochemistry (Zeihl-Neelsen) and IS900 PCR. Paucibacillary lesions have largely T cell and eosinophil infiltration and are ZN negative; multibacillary lesions have macrophage infiltration and large numbers of acid-fast bacteria. The pauci- and multibacillary forms are linked to the differential expression of IFNγ and IL-10 respectively. In addition the increased levels of the proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNFα), IL-8, IL-18 and TRAF-1 in both diseased forms is indicative of persistent inflammatory lesions. No changes were seen in IL-1α in any sheep ileum tissues. Asymptomatic animals are IS900+ with normal histology but have significantly decreased levels of IL-18 and increased levels TNFα.

Conclusion

We have quantified the expression levels of thirteen cytokine and cytokine related genes in three forms of ovine paratuberculosis using real-time PCR analyses and confirm that sheep pauci- and multibacillary disease are linked to type 1 and type 2 T cell responses respectively. The expression patterns of other cytokines shows that both disease forms have an inflammatory aetiology but that the central role for IL-1α in bovine paratuberculosis is not seen in the sheep infection. Asymptomatic animals are infected and show no pathology but can be distinguished, in terms of cytokine expression pattern, from uninfected controls.

Cloning, expression, purification and serodiagnostic evaluation of fourteen Mycobacterium paratuberculosis proteins

Fourteen proteins of potential diagnostic value for bovine paratuberculosis were identified in the culture filtrate of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis JTC303 by immunoblot and mass spectrometry. The goals of the present study were to express these 14 ORFs in Escherichia coli and evaluate their antigenicity. All 14 proteins were expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) after transformation with the pET-22b(+) vector. Yields of insoluble proteins were higher than those of the soluble proteins. Polyclonal rabbit antibodies directed against culture filtrate of JTC303 strain confirmed that five of the expressed and purified proteins are culture filtrate components: ModD, Antigen 85C, PepA, MAP1693c, and MAP2168c. Evaluation of ModD as an ELISA solid-phase antigen on a set of bovine sera from well-characterized paratuberculosis cases and infection-free controls revealed that there was strong serum antibody reactivity to rModD in many infected cattle. However, the overall rModD ELISA sensitivity and specificity for bovine paratuberculosis was not greater than those of ELISAs using crude antigens such as cellular extract or culture filtrate for plate coating, as judged by area under the curve (AUC) of Receiver-operating curve (ROC) analysis. However, an ELISA using natural ModD as the solid-phase antigen had a higher sensitivity and AUC than did rModD suggesting diminution of antigenicity in rModD. Taken together, our results showed that the natural forms of the identified proteins may be useful for diagnosis of bovine paratuberculosis.

Comparison of the proteosomes and antigenicities of secreted and cellular proteins produced by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis

The protein expression profiles and antigenicities of both culture filtrates (CF) and cellular extracts (CE) of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis were compared by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), one-dimensional electrophoresis (1-DE) and 2-DE immunoblotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The CF proteins were harvested from supernatants of stationary-phase liquid cultures and concentrated by size exclusion filtration. The CE proteins were extracted by mechanical disruption of cells using glass beads and a high-speed agitator. Analysis of SDS-PAGE gels showed that the majority of CF proteins had low molecular masses (<50 kDa), whereas CE protein mass ranged more evenly over a broader range up to 100 kDa. By 2-DE, CF proteins had a narrow array of pI values, with most being between pH 4.0 and 5.5; CE proteins spanned pI values from pH 4.0 to 7.0. The antigenicities of CF and CE proteins were first determined by 1-DE and 2-DE immunoblotting with serum from a cow naturally infected with M. paratuberculosis. The serum reacted strongly to more proteins in the CF than the CE. Sera from 444 infected and 412 uninfected cattle were tested by ELISA with CF and CE as solid-phase antigens. Receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis of the ELISA results showed a significantly greater area under the curve for CF compared to CE (P<0.05). A high degree of variability in protein binding patterns was shown with 1-DE immunoblot analysis with 31 sera from M. paratuberculosis-infected cattle. Collectively, these results indicate that serologic tests for bovine paratuberculosis may be improved by using proteins derived from CF instead of CE. To maximize the diagnostic sensitivity of serologic tests, multiple proteins will be required. Even so, a CF ELISA may not be able to detect all M. paratuberculosis-infected cattle, in particular those in the early stages of infection that have yet to mount an antibody response.

Cytokine expression profiles of bovine lymph nodes: effects of Mycobacterium bovis infection and bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination

Cytokine expression in lymph nodes from cattle inoculated intranasally with Mycobacterium bovis was compared to that of non-infected animals using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The effect of M. bovis infection, 4 months post-challenge, was to suppress the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 as well as the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and IL-6. Expression of interferon (IFN)-gamma and IL-12 was maintained. Animals vaccinated with bacille Calmette-Guérin responded differently to challenge with M. bovis. In particular, no decrease in expression of IL-4 or IL-6 was observed following challenge of vaccinated animals and decreased IFN-gamma was detected. Also, vaccinated animals had higher levels of IL-4 and IL-10 transcripts compared to unvaccinated animals following challenge. These changes in cytokine expression levels led to a significant shift in the IFN-gamma/IL-4 or IFN-gamma/IL-10 ratio within the lymph node following challenge. Challenged animals generally showed a strong Th1 bias that was not seen in animals vaccinated prior to challenge. An inverse correlation between the level of pathology and bacterial load within the lymph node and the expression of IL-4, IL-10 and TNF was also observed. These results suggest that in the lymph nodes of cattle with established tuberculosis and a persisting bacterial infection, maintenance of the pro-inflammatory response in combination with a suppressed anti-inflammatory response may control the infection but contribute to host-induced tissue damage. Vaccination, which reduces the bacterial load and consequently the IFN-gamma response, may result in less suppression of anti-inflammatory cytokines.