In vitro study of polymorphonuclear leukocyte damage to mammary tissues of lactating cows.

Effects of polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes (PMN) on mammary tissue of lactating cows were studied in vitro. The PMN were isolated from mammary glands of nulliparous heifers given an injection of 5 micrograms of Escherichia coli endotoxin. Mammary tissue was obtained from noninfected quarters of 5 lactating Holstein cows and was cultured in supplemented medium 199. Mammary explants were treated by addition of intact or lysed PMN (10(5), 10(6), 10(7)/ml) or PMN (10(5), 10(7)/ml) which were allowed to phagocytose opsonized zymosan. Controls included cultures of mammary tissue alone, PMN alone, and mammary tissue plus zymosan. Cultures were incubated at 37 C for 3, 8, or 24 hours. Tissue from 1 randomly selected culture/treatment was weighed and processed for microscopy. Tissue from remaining cultures was incubated with [3H]amino acids or [14C]acetate to determine rates of protein and fatty acid synthesis. Media from all cultures were assayed for activity of the lysosomal enzyme, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase. An increase (P less than 0.02) in the activity of this enzyme was detected in the medium of explant cultures treated with 10(7) phagocytosing PMN/ml at 3 and 8 hours and with 10(7) intact or lysed PMN/ml at 8 hours. Treatment did not inhibit (P greater than 0.05) rates of protein or fatty acid synthesis. Microscopic examination indicated that epithelial cell damage resulted from treatment with 10(6) and 10(7) intact, lysed, or phagocytosing PMN/ml. Greatest morphologic damage resulted from treatment with phagocytosing PMN.