Bovine cytokine expression during different phases of bovine leukemia virus infection. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The potential role of aberrant cytokine production in the pathogenesis of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) was studied by analyzing cytokine mRNA expression in pokeweed-stimulated PBMLs of cows in different phases of disease progression. To analyze the mRNA, a semi-quantitative RT-PCR assay was developed. The RT-PCR assay was developed for detection of IL-2, -4, -6, -10, -12, IFN-gamma and actin using cDNA derived from phorbol-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes. Using a PCR specific for BLV tax, agar gel immunodiffusion and white blood cell counts, BLV-negative, BLV-positive aleukemic (AL), and BLV-positive persistently lymphocytotic (PL) cattle were identified. Peripheral blood lymphocytes cultured in vitro for 24 h in pokeweed mitogen were analyzed for cytokine production using the RT-PCR assay. Consistently elevated levels of IL-2 and IL-12 in AL and PL cattle in pokeweed mitogen-stimulated cells was detected, while IFN-gamma was elevated in the AL but not the PL cattle.

published proceedings

  • Vet Immunol Immunopathol

author list (cited authors)

  • Keefe, R. G., Choi, Y., Ferrick, D. A., & Stott, J. L.

citation count

  • 19

complete list of authors

  • Keefe, RG||Choi, Y||Ferrick, DA||Stott, JL

publication date

  • May 1997