Analysis of SLC11A1 gene expression in healthy water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) blood cells using qPCR

SLC11A1 (solute carrier family 11 member 1 protein) gene influences the initial phase of bacterial cellular infections through macrophage activation. Recent literature on buffalo has attempted to associate the genotype of the polymorphic microsatellite located in the 3'untranslated region (3'UTR) of the gene, with either susceptibility to brucellosis or with improved macrophage function. Carriers of the (GT)16 allele have been reported to be resistant to brucellosis. In this study we analyzed the steady-state level of SLC11A1 expression in a serologically negative herd of 26 animals differing by the number of (GT)n microsatellite repeats by using a reverse transcriptase quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction approach. We evaluated five different reference genes, which had not been reported previously, for use in gene expression experiments in buffalo blood. However, we did not find any significant difference between buffalo carriers of the different microsatellite alleles, with respect to SLC11A1 expression in whole blood or in blood fractions [peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and polymorphonuclear leukocytes/granulocytes (PMN/G)]. Conversely, there was a difference between the blood fractions in their SLC11A1 expression levels, with the PMN/G fraction having a higher expression level than the PBMC fraction (P < 0.015).