Polymorphisms in the promoter region of the porcine antiviral MX1 and MX2 genes

Use of a prediction method for early pregnancy status utilizing receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of peripheral blood leukocyte interferon-stimulated genes in Japanese-Black cattle

A prediction method for early pregnancy status (pregnant or non-pregnant) in cattle that can be used within 3 weeks after insemination is desired. Interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) have been examined as prediction molecules for determination of pregnancy status. Relative abundances of ISG15 and MX2 gene transcripts in PBLs were suitable biomarkers for the prediction of pregnancy status when there were assessments of Holstein cattle. In the present study, it was determined whether ISG biomarkers are applicable for predicting gestation in Japanese-Black (JB) cattle and evaluation of the applicability of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis procedures for this purpose. There was assessment of the reliability of using average ISG values in PBLs collected during the estrous cycle (AVE) as a cutoff compared to the Youden index cutoff values. Application of AVE to assessment of pregnancy status in JB cattle indicated there was reliable predictions for pregnancy status when using ISG15 and MX2 values on day 21 after insemination, which coincided with the time of assessment in the previous study with Holstein cattle. The area under the curve values of the ROC curves confirmed the reliability of using ISGs to predict pregnancy from days 18 to 21 after insemination. Comparing AVE with Youden index values, there was confirmation of the accuracy of AVE for predicting gestation. The average mRNA transcript abundance values of ISG15 and MX2 may serve as excellent pregnancy biomarkers for cattle within 3 weeks of insemination.

Landscape features and helminth co-infection shape bank vole immunoheterogeneity, with consequences for Puumala virus epidemiology

Heterogeneity in environmental conditions helps to maintain genetic and phenotypic diversity in ecosystems. As such, it may explain why the capacity of animals to mount immune responses is highly variable. The quality of habitat patches, in terms of resources, parasitism, predation and habitat fragmentation may, for example, trigger trade-offs ultimately affecting the investment of individuals in various immunological pathways. We described spatial immunoheterogeneity in bank vole populations with respect to landscape features and co-infection. We focused on the consequences of this heterogeneity for the risk of Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) infection. We assessed the expression of the Tnf-α and Mx2 genes and demonstrated a negative correlation between PUUV load and the expression of these immune genes in bank voles. Habitat heterogeneity was partly associated with differences in the expression of these genes. Levels of Mx2 were lower in large forests than in fragmented forests, possibly due to differences in parasite communities. We previously highlighted the positive association between infection with Heligmosomum mixtum and infection with PUUV. We found that Tnf-α was more strongly expressed in voles infected with PUUV than in uninfected voles or in voles co-infected with the nematode H. mixtum and PUUV. H. mixtum may limit the capacity of the vole to develop proinflammatory responses. This effect may increase the risk of PUUV infection and replication in host cells. Overall, our results suggest that close interactions between landscape features, co-infection and immune gene expression may shape PUUV epidemiology.