Nitric Oxide Synthetase (iNOS) expression level, number of NK lymphocytes and Babesia bovis infection in blood samples from naturally infected Canchim calves

• Grant number: 19/06593-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2019
• End date: September 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Marcia Cristina de Sena Oliveira
• Grantee: Maria Fernanda Tonelli
• Host Institution: Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 16/07216-7 - Genomic study and immunological characterization of cattle resistant to bovine babesiosis and analysis of the genetic diversity of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina, AP.TEM

Abstract

Babesiosis is a tick-transmitted disease, which affects cattle raised in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, causing severe losses to cattle ranchers. In Brazil, Babesia bovis and B. bigemina occur endemically, which makes it difficult to control the disease. Thus the selection of more resistant animals would have an essential role in improving the quality and productivity of the herds. This proposal aims to provide a basis for genetic studies of resistance to bovine babesiosis by identifying causes of variation in the level of B. bovis infection and the immune response in naturally infected cattle. Thus fluctuations in the expression of the enzyme induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), the levels of B. bovis infection and the number of natural killer (NK) cells present in blood samples from Canchim calves from birth to of 12 months of age. Expression of the gene encoding iNOS will be assessed by extracting the blood RNA, producing the cDNA "in vitro" and qPCR reactions. Blood samples will also be subjected to quantification of NK lymphocyte levels using the flow cytometer (Acuri C6-BD) and quantification of the amount of B. bovis DNA using BioRad CFX equipment. The data obtained will be analyzed statistically to verify variations in gene expression over time and the associations between these results and those of the NK lymphocyte counts and the level of B. bovis infection, as well as of the latter two among them.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

OKINO, CINTIA HIROMI; BASSETTO, CESAR CRISTIANO; GIGLIOTI, RODRIGO; SILVA, PAMELLA CRISTINI; TONELLI, MARIA FERNANDA; MARCONDES, CINTIA RIGHETTI; DE OLIVEIRA, HENRIQUE NUNES; DE SENA OLIVEIRA, MARCIA CRISTINA. A polymorphic CD4 epitope related to increased susceptibility to Babesia bovis in Canchim calves. VETERINARY IMMUNOLOGY AND IMMUNOPATHOLOGY, v. 230, DEC 2020. (19/06593-0, 16/07216-7)