Influence of induced heat stress on HSP70 in buffalo lymphocytes

Heat stress in farm animals, such as cattle and buffalo during summer and post-summer seasons is a problem for livestock producers. The effect of heat stress becomes pronounced when heat stress is accompanied with ambient humidity impairing the immune status, growth, production and reproductive performance of animals. Increase in HSP70 levels from cell cultures in presence of different stressors often does not reflect the physiological adaptability of animals governing thermal regulation. In this study we directly compared the effect of different heat stress conditions with the immune status and HSP70 expression patterns from buffalo lymphocytes both in vivo and in vitro. Murrah buffalo calves were exposed to induced heat stress with two experimental treatments: hot-dry (42 °C with existing relative humidity) or hot humid (35 °C with 70% relative humidity) condition in psychometric chamber, 4 h daily for 12 days and compared with control animals maintained in an experimental shed under natural conditions. There was >200-fold increase in serum-HSP70 levels in both heat stress conditions compared with control. Furthermore, the immune status of the calves failed to activate the level of HSP70 expression in serum lymphocytes. Lymphocytes cultured in vitro at higher temperature exert 2.5-fold increase in HSP70 concentration. This study is the first of its kind to demonstrate more complex expression pattern of buffalo serum-HSP70 level as a thermo adaptive response compared with in vitro treated cells. Results from this study indicate that serum-HSP70 levels could be used as a sensitive biomarker for heat stress management in large farm animals.