Objective: To investigate whether expression of genes associated with inflammation and activity of indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) correlated with disease status and prevalence of bacteremia in post-partum dairy cattle with and without acute puerperal metritis (APM).
Procedures: Blood was collected from cattle with APM and control cattle matched by parity and days in milk. Leukocytes were isolated and expression of 6 genes was quantified. Activity of IDO was measured in serum with higher performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Results: The relative expression of IL-1β in cattle with APM was significantly lower than that in controls. IDO activity was not significantly different between bacteremic and non-bacteremic cattle
Conclusions and clinical relevance: The expression of IL-1β was lower in cattle with APM. The lower levels of IL-1β expression in PBMCs of cattle with APM suggest impaired inflammatory responses and may contribute to the development of the disease in this population of animals.
Keywords: Blood culture; Cytokine; Dairy; Metritis; Polymerase chain reaction; Uterine.
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