Genome-wide expression analysis reveals different heat shock responses in indigenous (Bos indicus) and crossbred (Bos indicus X Bos taurus) cattle

Abstract

Environmental heat stress in dairy cattle leads to poor health, reduced milk production and decreased reproductive efficiency. Multiple genes interact and coordinate the response to overcome the impact of heat stress. The present study identified heat shock regulated genes in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Genome-wide expression patterns for cellular stress response were compared between two genetically distinct groups of cattle viz., Hariana (B. indicus) and Vrindavani (B. indicus X B. taurus). In addition to major heat shock response genes, oxidative stress and immune response genes were also found to be affected by heat stress. Heat shock proteins such as HSPH1, HSPB8, FKB4, DNAJ4 and SERPINH1 were up-regulated at higher fold change in Vrindavani compared to Hariana cattle. The oxidative stress response genes (HMOX1, BNIP3, RHOB and VEGFA) and immune response genes (FSOB, GADD45B and JUN) were up-regulated in Vrindavani whereas the same were down-regulated in Hariana cattle. The enrichment analysis of dysregulated genes revealed the biological functions and signaling pathways that were affected by heat stress. Overall, these results show distinct cellular responses to heat stress in two different genetic groups of cattle. This also highlight the long-term adaptation of B. indicus (Hariana) to tropical climate as compared to the crossbred (Vrindavani) with mixed genetic makeup (B. indicus X B. taurus).

Candidate genes associated with heat stress and breeding strategies to relieve its effects in dairy cattle: a deeper insight into the genetic architecture and immune response to heat stress

“…It was also observed that the enrichment of genes in the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway ( CALCR , GRIA4 , GRM8 , GHR, MC5R, NPFFR2, PRLH, UCN3 ), PI3K-Akt signaling pathway ( CDKN1B, GHR, IL6, MTOR, OSM, SGK1 , TLR4 ), HIF-1 signaling pathway ( CDKN1B, IL6, MTOR and TLR4 ) and JAK–STAT signaling pathway ( LIF, GHR, IL6, MTOR and OSM ) with other pathways and stress responses ( Figure 3C ). In line with these pathways ( Figure 3C ), the previous studies found that the candidate genes for HS response enriched HSF1 mediated heat shock response, estrogen signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK singling pathway and immune response pathways in dairy cattle ( 93 , 112 , 113 ).…”