Abstract
BackgroundCastration of male cattle has been shown to elicit inflammatory reactions and acute inflammation is initiated and sustained by the participation of cytokines.MethodsSixty continental × beef bulls (Mean age 12 ± (s.e.) 0.2 months; Mean weight 341 ± (s.e.) 3.0 kg) were blocked by weight and randomly assigned to one of three treatments (n = 20 animals per treatment): 1) untreated control (Con); 2) banding castration at 0 min (Band); 3) Burdizzo castration at 0 min (Burd). Samples of the testis, epididymis and scrotal skin were collected surgically from 5 animals from each group at 12 h, 24 h, 7 d, and 14 d post-treatment, and analysed using real-time PCR. A repeated measurement analysis (Proc GLM) was performed using SAS. If there was no treatment and time interaction, main effects of treatment by time were tested by ANOVA.ResultsElectrophoresis data showed that by 7 d post-castration RNA isolated from all the testicle samples of the Burd castrated animals, the epididymis and middle scrotum samples from Band castrates were degraded. Transitory effects were observed in the gene expression of IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α at 12 h and 24 h post treatment. Burd castrates had greater (P < 0.05) testicular IFN-γ mRNA levels compared with Band and Con animals, but lower (P < 0.05) testicular TNF-α mRNA levels compared with Con animals. Band castrates had greater (P < 0.05) testicular IL-6 mRNA levels than Burd castrates at 12 h post-castration. Burd castrates had greater (P < 0.05) testicular IL-8 mRNA levels than Band and Con animals at 24 h post-castration. In the epididymis, Burd castrates had greater (P < 0.05) IL-6 mRNA (both at 12 h and 24 h post treatment) and IL-8 mRNA (12 h post treatment) levels compared with Band and Con animals; Burd castrates had greater (P = 0.049) IL-10 mRNA levels than Band castrates at 12 h post-castration.ConclusionBanding castration caused more inflammatory associated gene expression changes to the epididymis and scrotum than burdizzo. Burdizzo caused more severe acute inflammatory responses, in terms of pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression, in the testis and epididymis than banding.
Highlights
Gene expression in the burdizzo castrated animals (Figures 2 and 3) Burdizzo castration was associated with the increased mRNA expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 (12 h, 24 h and 168 h), and IL-8 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (12 h) in the epididymis, while IFN-γ gene expression was not detected
Burdizzo castration was associated with the increased expression of the proinflammatory cytokines INF-γ (12 and 24 h) and IL-8 (24 h) in the testes, while there was a reduction in the expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) at both 12 and 24 h
The mRNA expression profiles of the cytokines analysed in the epididymis of burdizzo-castrated animals was consistent with what has been previously been described in a tissue trauma cytokine profile [8]
Summary
Iowa, USA: Iowa State University Press; 1999:118-119. In Inflammtion Basic principles and clinical correlates 3rd edition. PA, USA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1999. Castration of male cattle has been shown to elicit inflammatory reactions and acute inflammation is initiated and sustained by the participation of cytokines. Castration of male cattle has been shown to elicit physiological stress, inflammatory reactions, pain-associated behaviour, suppression of immune function, and a reduction in performance [5,6,7]. Acute inflammation is initiated and sustained by the participation of cytokines including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1), 6, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) [8]. It was reported that acute phase cytokine expression including IL-1β, IL1Ra, and TNF-a can be altered in dairy calves treated with dexamethasone, which may decrease resistance of those animals to disease [15]
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