Title:Presence of Cathelicidin-1 in Milk as an Indicator of the Severity of Mammary Infection in Ewes
Volume: 18
Issue: 2
Author(s): Angeliki I. Katsafadou, Natalia G.C. Vasileiou, George T. Tsangaris, Katerina S. Ioannidi, Athanasios K. Anagnostopoulos, Charalambos Billinis, Ilektra A. Fragkou, Elias Papadopoulos, Vasia S. Mavrogianni, Dafni T. Lianou, Dimitris C. Chatzopoulos and George C. Fthenakis*
Affiliation:
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, Karditsa 43100,Greece
Keywords:
Biomarker, cathelicidin-1, mastitis, mammary epithelial cells, pathogenesis, proteomics, sheep, somatic cell
counts.
Abstract:
Aims: The importance of cathelicidin-1 as an indicator of the severity of mammary infection
in ewes.
Background: Mastitis is an important disease of sheep, affecting their health and welfare.
Objective: The association of the presence of cathelicidin-1 in milk samples from ewes with mastitis
with the severity of the infection.
Methods: Ewes were intramammarily inoculated with Mannheimia haemolytica or Staphylococcus
chromogenes. Conventional (clinical, bacteriological and cytological examinations; milk yield measurements)
and proteomics evaluation (2-DE, MALDI-TOF MS) to record cathelicidin-1 spot optical
densities in milk samples were recorded.
Results: Ewes challenged with M. haemolytica developed clinical and ewes challenged with S.
chromogenes subclinical mastitis (P=0.05). The challenged organism was isolated from milk samples
from inoculated mammary glands; increased somatic cell counts were also recorded. Cathelicidin-
1 was detected in milk samples from the inoculated side of udders of all ewes. Mean spot density
of cathelicidin-1 from samples from inoculated glands of ewes challenged with M. haemolytica
was higher than from ewes challenged with S. chromogenes: 2896 ± 973 versus 1312 ± 361 (P
=0.034). There were significant correlations between the presence of clinical mastitis / somatic cell
counts with the spot density of cathelicidin-1 on 2-DE gels (P=0.043 and P=0.023, respectively).
There was also a significant inverse correlation between the mean spot densities of cathelicidin-1
in milk samples and the milk yield of respective ewes on D10 (P =0.031).
Conclusion: Potentially, cathelicidin-1 could be used as a marker to indicate the severity of damage
to the mammary parenchyma.
