This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Waters, W. R. Articles by Nonnecke, B. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Waters, W. R. Articles by Nonnecke, B. J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, September 2003, p. 960-966, Vol. 10, No. 5
1071-412X/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.10.5.960-966.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Diagnostic Implications of Antigen-Induced Gamma Interferon, Nitric Oxide, and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Production by Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Mycobacterium bovis-Infected Cattle

W. R. Waters,^1* M. V. Palmer,¹ D. L. Whipple,¹ M. P. Carlson,² and B. J. Nonnecke³

Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit,¹ Periparturient Diseases of Cattle Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Animal Disease Center, Ames, Iowa 50010,³ Toxicology Laboratory, University of Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0907²

Received 31 January 2003/ Returned for modification 6 May 2003/ Accepted 23 May 2003

Bovine tuberculosis in the United States has proven costly to cattle producers as well as to government regulatory agencies. While in vivo responsiveness to mycobacterial antigens is the current standard for the diagnosis of tuberculosis, in vitro assays are gaining acceptance, especially as ancillary or complementary tests. To evaluate in vitro indices of cellular sensitization, antigen-induced gamma interferon (IFN-), nitric oxide (NO), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-) responses by blood mononuclear cells from Mycobacterium bovis-infected cattle were quantified and compared. Using an aerosol model of infection, two doses of each of two strains of M. bovis (95-1315 and HC-2045T) were used to induce a range of IFN-, NO, and TNF- responses. Infection-specific increases in NO, but not in IFN- or TNF-, were detected in nonstimulated cultures at 48 h, a finding that is indicative of nonspecific activation and spontaneous release of NO. The infective dose of M. bovis organisms also influenced responses. At 34 days postinfection, IFN-, NO, and TNF- responses in antigen-stimulated cells from cattle receiving 10⁵ CFU of M. bovis organisms were greater than responses of cells from cattle infected with 10³ CFU of M. bovis organisms. The NO response, but not the IFN- and TNF- responses, was influenced by infective strains of M. bovis. The TNF-, NO, and IFN- responses followed similar kinetics, with strong positive associations among the three readouts. Overall, these findings indicate that NO and TNF-, like IFN-, may prove useful as indices for the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis.

---

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, 2300 Dayton Ave., P.O. Box 70, Ames, IA 50010-0070. Phone: (515) 663-7756. Fax: (515) 663-7458. E-mail: rwaters{at}nadc.ars.usda.gov.

---

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, September 2003, p. 960-966, Vol. 10, No. 5
1071-412X/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.10.5.960-966.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Waters, W. R., Nonnecke, B. J., Palmer, M. V., Robbe-Austermann, S., Bannantine, J. P., Stabel, J. R., Whipple, D. L., Payeur, J. B., Estes, D. M., Pitzer, J. E., Minion, F. C. (2004). Use of Recombinant ESAT-6:CFP-10 Fusion Protein for Differentiation of Infections of Cattle by Mycobacterium bovis and by M. avium subsp. avium and M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. CVI 11: 729-735 [Abstract] [Full Text]