I. Fonseca, G.R. Antunes, D.S. Paiva, C.C. Lange, S.E.F. Guimarães and M.F. Martins
Published: July 5, 2011
Genet. Mol. Res. 10 (3): 1295-1303
DOI: 10.4238/vol10-3gmr1096

Cite this Article:
I. Fonseca, G.R. Antunes, D.S. Paiva, C.C. Lange, S.E.F. Guimarães and M.F. Martins (2011). Gene expression analysis reveals increased TLR-2 expression in dairy cows with clinical mastitis. Genet. Mol. Res. 10(3): 1295-1303. 10.4238/vol10-3gmr1096

About the Authors:
I. Fonseca, G.R. Antunes, D.S. Paiva, C.C. Lange, S.E.F. Guimarães and M.F. Martins
Corresponding author: M.F. Martins
E-mail: mmartins@cnpgl.embrapa.br

ABSTRACT
Among the potential public health problems of animal production, infectious-contagious diseases stand out. Mastitis is among the main diseases affecting dairy cattle. One of the most promising options to reduce the problems caused by this disease, besides proper sanitary and management practices, is selective breeding of resistant animals. To shed light on the immune response mechanisms involved in the resistance/susceptibility phenotype to this disease, we quantified the relative expression of the genes IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IFN-γ, TNF-α, TLR-2, SEMA5A, and FEZL in cells of crossbreed dairy cows, divided into two groups, one healthy and the other suffering from clinical mastitis. Total RNA was extracted from the cells in the milk from the animals in each group (with and without clinical mastitis). Gene expression was determined using the real-time PCR method. The levels of gene expression were compared, and the cows with mastitis were found to express 2.5 times more TLR-2 than those free of mastitis (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the expression of the other genes.

Key words: Immune response, Real-time PCR, Resistance to mastitis, Toll-like receptor 2 gene.