Genetic parameters for natural antibodies and associations with specific antibody and mastitis in Canadian Holsteins

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate (1) natural antibodies (NAb) in Canadian Holstein cows, (2) genetic parameters and associations between NAb and specific antibody (SpAb), and (3) the association of NAb with clinical mastitis and differences in incidence rates of clinical mastitis (IRCM) among cows classified as high, average, or low responders for NAb. Natural antibodies (IgG and IgM) to keyhole limpet hemocyanin and SpAb to a type 2 test antigen were measured on 451 Holsteins from 41 herds across Canada. A series of uni- and tri-variate linear animal models were used to estimate genetic parameters and breeding values for NAb and SpAb. The models included the fixed effects of parity and stage of lactation and the random effects of herd-technician, animal, and residual. Using estimated breeding values for NAb, cows were classified as high, average, or low responders and phenotypic associations with the IRCM were investigated and a logistic regression performed. The estimated heritability was 0.27 for SpAb, and was 0.32 and 0.18 for NAb of the IgG and IgM isotypes, respectively. No significant genetic correlations were found between SpAb and NAb. Although no significant differences in the IRCM were found when cows were classified based on NAb IgG, cows classified as high responders for NAb IgM tended to have a lower IRCM compared with other cows. Immunoglobulin-M was associated with a decreased risk of clinical mastitis (odds ratio=0.958). Results of this study suggest the potential to use NAb IgM as an additional tool to select for disease resistance in cattle, but results need to be validated with a larger sample size.

Endometritisli İneklerde Serum C-Reaktif Protein ve Doğal Antikor Düzeylerinin Değerlendirilmesi

“…The titer of NAb binding to KLH in plasma shows the efficiency of the innate humoral defense system [29] . Resistance to disease is reportedly higher in cows with a high titer of NAb [27,34,35] . Machado et al [27] reported an association between higher circulating titer of serum NAb around parturition and decreased incidence of clinical endometritis.…”

Genome-Wide Association Studies for Immunoglobulins in Colostrum and Serum in Chinese Holstein

“…In the breeding perspective of dairy cattle, the relatively high heritability of immunoglobulin and available genetic information provides an opportunity to include immunoglobulin as a new trait to improve dairy cattle health. Although plentiful studies for the bene ts of IgM and to a lesser extent IgG in mice [61][62][63], the bene cial correlations reported between immunoglobulin and resistance against infectious diseases are minimal in livestock [15,64,65]. Hence, the character of immunoglobulin in immunity of dairy cattle needs further veri cation.…”

“…Heritability estimates for IgG concentrations in blood ranged from 0.27 to 0.64 in human [8][9][10][11][12]. In dairy cows, heritability estimates of immunoglobulins measured in blood or milk ranges from 0.08-0.45 [13][14][15][16], where IgM generally has the highest heritability estimates (0.18-0.45) and IgG has lower heritability estimates (0.08-0.31). Additionally, immunoglobulins level in serum had higher heritability than that in milk [13].…”

Invited review: Phenotyping strategies and quantitative-genetic background of resistance, tolerance and resilience associated traits in dairy cattle

“…metabolic health) was investigated in dairy cattle (e.g. Thompson-Crispi et al, 2013). An increase in incidences of various diseases (e.g.…”

“…Such results indicate that resistance to infectious diseases is primarily regulated by IR genotypes, while resistance to non-infectious diseases strongly depends on environmental factors. Thompson-Crispi et al (2013) compared the CM incidence rates between HR-, AR-and LR-cows for AMIR and CMIR. In this study, a significant higher incidence rate for CM induced by Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus spp.…”