Differential gene expression in the peripheral blood of Chinese Sanhe cattle exposed to severe cold stress

Abstract

Livestock is an important food resource for the inhabitants of cold regions, such as northern Asia and alpine regions, where agriculture is limited. In these regions, cold stress largely affects livestock production, thereby reducing the productivity and survival of animals. Despite the importance of breeding cold-tolerant animals, few studies have investigated the effects of cold stress on cattle. Furthermore, whether severe cold stress alters gene expression or affects molecular genetic mechanisms remains unknown. Thus, we investigated gene expression changes in the peripheral blood samples of the Chinese Sanhe cattle exposed to severe cold. A total of 193 genes were found to exhibit significant alteration in expression (P < 0.05; fold change > 1.3), with 107 genes showing upregulation and 86 showing downregulation after cold exposure. The differences in the expression of 10 selected genes were further validated by real-time qRT-PCR. Further analyses showed that these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were predominantly associated with important biological pathways and gene networks, such as lipid metabolism and cell death and survival, which are potentially associated with severe cold-stress resistance. Identification and description of these cold stress-induced DEGs might lead to the discovery of novel blood biomarkers that could be used to assess cold-stress resistance in cattle. To our knowledge, this is the first genomic evidence of differences in the transcript expression pattern in cattle exposed to severe cold stress. Our findings provide insights on the potential molecular mechanisms underlying cold-stress response in cattle.

Detection of functional polymorphisms in the hsp70 gene and association with cold stress response in Inner-Mongolia Sanhe cattle

“…Differently gene expression due to cold stress has been well documented in both animals (Shore et al 2013) and plants (Sharma and Nayyar 2014). We previously reported, in a transcriptome study, various differentially expressed genes in Sanhe cattle, including hsp70, after exposure to extremely low temperatures (Xu et al 2017). Due to the role of HSP in the protection of cells against stress effects, we hypothesized that hsp70 is likely an important candidate gene for differential cold stress response.…”

“…The authors reported blood biochemical parameters that can be used as potential indicators of individual response to cold stress in cattle. Xu et al (2017) identified 193 differentially expressed genes in peripheral blood samples of Sanhe cattle exposed to severe cold stress (− 32°C for 3 h). Out of the 193 candidate genes, the expression of hsp70 (heat-shock protein 70) significantly increased after cold exposure (P < 0.05) (Xu et al 2017).…”

“…Xu et al (2017) identified 193 differentially expressed genes in peripheral blood samples of Sanhe cattle exposed to severe cold stress (− 32°C for 3 h). Out of the 193 candidate genes, the expression of hsp70 (heat-shock protein 70) significantly increased after cold exposure (P < 0.05) (Xu et al 2017). In addition, Kumar et al (2015) investigated the expression pattern of the hsp70 gene in both cattle and buffalo and reported an increased expression of the hsp family genes during the winter season.…”

“…Considering that the Sanhe breed is well known to be more resilient to extreme cold conditions compared to other worldwide cattle breeds and due to the fact that the hsp70 gene plays an important role in thermotolerance mechanisms in livestock species (Xu et al 2017), the objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to investigate severe cold stress-induced changes in concentrations of six blood biochemical parameters in Sanhe cattle, (2) to characterize genomic variations in the 5′-flanking region of the hsp70 gene, (3) to perform association analyses between polymorphisms in the hsp70 gene and cold stress response variables, and (4) to explore its biological associations with cold stress response mechanisms in cattle.…”

Impact of prenatal cold stress on placental physiology, inflammatory response, and apoptosis in rats

“…However, when exposure to stress is chronic, prolonged activation of the stress response may become maladaptive and have adverse consequences for the individual [ 3 ]. Cold stress include prenatal cold stress is one of these stressors, which is a major factor that can negatively affect the growth and production of all livestock species in north frigid area [ 4 ]. During this condition, energy harvesting during acute cold contributes to maintaining the body temperature.…”