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Published on: July 11, 2015
Growth responses of coliform bacteria to recombinant bovine cytokines
J S Hogan1, D A Todhunter, K L Smith
1Department of Dairy Science, Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster 44691.
Insights
Recombinant bovine interferon-gamma slightly enhanced coliform growth in milk and tissue culture media during the log phase. Other tested cytokines did not impact bacterial populations.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Microbiology
- Immunology
- Bovine Health
Background:
- Coliform infections, such as mastitis, are a significant concern in dairy herds.
- Bovine cytokines play crucial roles in the immune response to bacterial infections.
- Understanding bacterial responses to cytokines can inform treatment and management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in vitro growth responses of coliform isolates to specific recombinant bovine cytokines.
- To determine if bovine interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-2, or interferon-gamma affect the growth of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Main Methods:
- Ten coliform isolates (6 Escherichia coli, 4 Klebsiella pneumoniae) from bovine mastitis were cultured in vitro.
- Isolates were exposed to varying concentrations of recombinant bovine interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-2, and interferon-gamma.
- Bacterial growth was assessed in synthetic tissue culture medium, a defined bacterial growth medium, and UHT-sterilized milk.
Main Results:
- Recombinant bovine interferon-gamma (rBoIFN-γ) showed a slight increase in bacterial counts in synthetic tissue culture medium and UHT milk.
- rBoIFN-γ promoted bacterial population growth during the logarithmic phase but had no effect on the stationary phase.
- No significant growth responses were observed with recombinant bovine interleukin-1 beta (rBoIL-1β) or interleukin-2 (rBoIL-2) across all tested media and concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Recombinant bovine interferon-gamma exhibits a limited capacity to stimulate coliform growth in specific media during early growth phases.
- Interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-2 do not appear to influence the growth of these bovine coliform isolates in vitro.
- Bacterial responses to cytokines were independent of serum susceptibility, dry cow secretion growth, infection duration, or species.
Abstract:
Growth responses of 10 coliform isolates to recombinant bovine cytokines were measured in vitro. Six Escherichia coli and four Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates obtained from bovine IMI were tested for growth responses to recombinant bovine interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-2, and interferon-gamma. Cytokines were tested at 10(4), 10(3), 10(2), and 10 U/ml of media. Media used were a synthetic tissue culture medium, a chemically defined synthetic bacterial growth medium, and UHT sterilized milk. Bacterial counts in the synthetic tissue culture medium and UHT milk increased slightly as concentration of interferon-gamma in the media increased. Recombinant bovine interferon-gamma increased bacterial populations during the log growth phase but did not affect the number of bacteria in stationary growth phase. Bacterial growth responses were not related to either interleukin-2 or interleukin-1 beta concentrations in any of the three media. Bacterial growth responses to cytokines were not related to differences in either serum susceptibility, growth of isolates in dry cow secretion, duration of IMI from which isolates were obtained, or bacterial species.

