Mycobacterium bovis infection in cattle induces differential expression of prolactin receptor isoforms in macrophages

Prolactin receptor (PRLr) is a member of the cytokine receptor superfamily 1 showing tissue specific structural diversity. Expression of PRLr isoforms in lymphoid tissues has been associated with immunomodulatory function of prolactin. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is characterized by chronic inflammation caused by the persistent infection of lymphoid tissues with Mycobacterium bovis. To test the hypothesis of the influence of PRLr in the pathogenesis of bTB, the aim of this study was to identify PRLr isoforms expressed during bTB in different tissues and to analyze their association with the pathogenesis of bTB. We examined lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues ex vivo from experimentally and naturally infected cattle, as well as from bTB-free cattle, by Western blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IH). In vitro, monocytes from exposed, infected, and healthy cattle were stimulated with M. bovis antigens and then analyzed by WB. To detect transcriptional levels of PRLr in macrophages (MØ) exposed to M. bovis, real time PCR was performed. WB revealed diversity of PRLr isoforms in tissues from infected cattle but not in tissues from bTB-free cattle. PRLr isoforms 100 kDa 75, 50 and 40 were found expressed in tissues of animals infected with M. bovis, while only the short isoform of 40 kDa correlated with the immunopathology and ability to infect MØ. We confirmed the synthesis of PRLr mRNA in MØ after M. bovis exposure and propose that molecular pathogen patterns of M. bovis might modulate inflammation during bTB through expression of the PRLr isoform in MØ.