Expression of interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 in white-tailed deer infected with Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease virus.

Abstract

The pathogenesis of epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD) in white‑tailed deer (WTD) may be related to factors other than direct viral damage caused by replication in endothelium, such as the release of cytokines. This study focused on interleukin‑1 β (IL‑1) and interleukin‑6 (IL‑6), which have been shown to be variably upregulated in Bluetongue virus (BTV) infected cattle and sheep endothelial cultures possibly explaining species susceptibility to BTV. We evaluated circulating and tissue levels of IL‑1 and IL‑6 in WTD experimentally infected with EHD virus serotype 2 (EHDV‑2). Circulating levels of IL‑1 were assayed by ELISA. RT‑PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to detect upregulation of IL‑1 and IL‑6 mRNA as well as protein expression, respectively. RT‑PCR was also used to determine whether IL‑1 and IL‑6 were upregulated in WTD peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) infected with EHDV‑2 in vitro. We found increased circulating levels of IL‑1 and upregulation of IL‑1 mRNA and protein expression and upregulation of IL‑6 mRNA in tissues of WTD infected with EHDV. Upregulation of mRNA levels of IL‑1 and IL‑6 in EHDV infected PBMCs was also observed. Findings suggest a role for IL‑1 and IL‑6 in the pathogenesis of EHD in WTD.