Cytokine and antioxidant gene profiles from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of Pelibuey lambs after Haemonchus contortus infection.

Abstract

The expression profiles of cytokines and antioxidant genes were determined from an experimental infection with H.contortus in Pelibuey lambs. The infection was followed for 34days (d) to determine the number of eggs per gram (epg) and the packed cell volume (PCV). Differential white cell counts and expression profile estimations of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, FCεR1A, GPX and SOD1 were determined at 0hour, 4hours, 2days and 14days post-infection (PI) in infected and control groups. Comparison of the fold change between 0 and 4-hours, 4-hours and 2-days and 2- and 14-days periods was performed. Significant differences (P<.05) between epg (>2000) and PCV (>30%) were determined after 21days and were also observed with regard to monocyte and lymphocyte cells after 2 and 7days PI. At 0hour and 14days PI, the GPX and IL-2 genes showed a 0.37- and 0.49-fold decrease in expression, respectively. In contrast, upregulation was observed at 4hours of IL-8 (2.58) and FCεR1A (2.71), at 2days for IL-4 (2.14) and IL-8 (4.02) and at 14days for IL-2 (0.41), IL-10 (2.35) and FCεR1A (2.28). The comparison between the intervals of infection showed high expression values against H.contortus infection in Pelibuey sheep after the 2nd period of PI involving a dichotomy T cells.