Ex vivo induction of TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA in bovine whole blood by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis and mycobacterial cell wall components.

Johne's disease is a chronic enteritis of cattle and other ruminant species that is of worldwide economic importance. The cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been associated with granuloma formation and wasting in other disease syndromes. The potential role of these cytokines in the development and progression of Johne's disease has not been investigated. Using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and specific bovine oligonucleotide cytokine primers and probes for bovine TNF-alpha and IL-6, we examined the ex vivo expression of mRNA for these inflammatory cytokines in whole blood from healthy cattle. Cytokine mRNA levels increased after a brief incubation of bovine whole blood with Mycobacterium paratuberculosis or its lipoarabinomannan (LAM). Muramyl dipeptide (MDP) and Escherichia coli LPS also stimulated TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA expression. Several strains of M. paratuberculosis were tested and found to have similar abilities to stimulate TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA expression. Several strains of the closely related Mycobacterium avium, and the unrelated saprophyte, Mycobacterium phlei, had somewhat less ability to stimulate TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA expression.