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Bovine Intelectin 2 Expression as a Biomarker of Paratuberculosis Disease Progression
Cristina Blanco Vázquez1, Ana Balseiro2,3, Marta Alonso-Hearn4
1Center for Animal Biotechnology, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (SERIDA), 33394 Deva, Spain.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|June 2, 2021
Summary
Bovine intelectin 2 (ITLN2) is overexpressed in cows with paratuberculosis (PTB). This study validates ITLN2 as a post-mortem biomarker for tracking PTB disease progression in dairy animals.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Paratuberculosis (PTB), caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), leads to significant economic losses in the dairy industry.
- Previous RNA-sequencing identified overexpression of bovine intelectin 2 (ITLN2) in animals with PTB-associated lesions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of ITLN2 as a biomarker for MAP infection.
- To analyze ITLN2 presence in relation to PTB disease progression.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative immunohistochemical analysis of ileocecal valve (ICV) samples from 20 Holstein Friesian cows.
- Categorization of cows into focal, multifocal, diffuse PTB lesion groups, and a control group.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in mean ITLN2-immunostained goblet and Paneth cells were observed across histopathological types.
- Higher ITLN2-positive cell counts were found in focal (116.9 ± 113.9) and multifocal (108.7 ± 140.5) PTB lesions compared to diffuse (76.5 ± 97.8) and control (41.0 ± 81.3) groups.
Conclusions:
- ITLN2 expression levels correlate with the severity of PTB lesions.
- ITLN2 is validated as a useful post-mortem biomarker for assessing PTB disease progression in cattle.
