Di Muro Giorgia, Tessarolo Carlotta, Cagnotti Giulia, Favole Alessandra, Ferrini Sara, Ala Ugo, Bellino Claudio, Borriello Giuliano, Gallo Marina, Iamone Giulia, Iulini Barbara, Pezzolato Marzia, Casalone Cristina, Caramelli Maria, Capucci Lorenzo, Cavadini Patrizia, Corona Cristiano, D'Angelo Antonio
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2-5, 10095, Grugliasco, TO, Italy.
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, TO, Italy.
Vet Res. 2025 Jan 10;56(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s13567-024-01441-4.
Neurofilament light chain (Nf-L) is a biomarker for axonal damage in human neurology but is understudied in cattle. With this study we wanted to determine Nf-L stability at two different storage temperatures and Nf-L levels in healthy cattle and the relationship with age, evaluate whether Nf-L holds diagnostic potential for neurological disorders, and whether an association exists between Nf-L in serum and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). To do this, we measured Nf-L levels in CSF and serum samples from 49 healthy and 75 sick cattle. Storage at -80 °C or -20 °C had no impact on Nf-L concentration. Physiological median Nf-L levels were 6.3 pg/mL (serum) and 414 pg/mL (CSF) in calves and 5.5 pg/mL (serum) and 828 pg/mL (CSF) in adult cattle. There was no association between Nf-L levels in CSF and calf age (r 0.07, p = 0.13), while a weak association was found for Nf-L in serum (r 0.26, p = 0.01), and a significant association in adult cattle (CSF, r 0.69, p = 0.0001; serum, r 0.68, p = 0.0003). CSF Nf-L levels were higher in samples from animals with degenerative (median Nf-L 49971 pg/mL) and infectious central nervous system (CNS) disorders (median Nf-L, age < 2 months 8863 pg/mL; age 2-12 months 17474 pg/mL; age 1-6 years 3546 pg/mL), CNS anomalies and metabolic/toxic disorders. There was a significant association between CSF Nf-L and serum Nf-L in cattle with neurological disorders (r 0.2, p = 0.009). Taken together, these findings suggest the potential of Nf-L as a diagnostic tool in cattle neurology.
神经丝轻链（Nf-L）是人类神经病学中轴突损伤的生物标志物，但在牛身上的研究较少。通过这项研究，我们想确定Nf-L在两种不同储存温度下的稳定性、健康牛的Nf-L水平及其与年龄的关系，评估Nf-L对神经系统疾病是否具有诊断潜力，以及血清和脑脊液（CSF）中的Nf-L之间是否存在关联。为此，我们测量了49头健康牛和75头病牛的脑脊液和血清样本中的Nf-L水平。在-80°C或-20°C储存对Nf-L浓度没有影响。小牛的生理中位数Nf-L水平为血清6.3 pg/mL和脑脊液414 pg/mL，成年牛为血清5.5 pg/mL和脑脊液828 pg/mL。脑脊液中的Nf-L水平与小牛年龄之间没有关联（r = 0.07，p = 0.13），而血清中的Nf-L有弱关联（r = 0.26，p = 0.01），成年牛中有显著关联（脑脊液，r = 0.69，p = 0.0001；血清，r = 0.68，p = 0.0003）。患有退行性疾病（中位数Nf-L为49971 pg/mL）和传染性中枢神经系统（CNS）疾病（中位数Nf-L，年龄<2个月为8863 pg/mL；年龄2 - 12个月为17474 pg/mL；年龄1 - 6岁为3546 pg/mL）、CNS异常以及代谢/中毒性疾病的动物样本中，脑脊液Nf-L水平较高。患有神经系统疾病的牛的脑脊液Nf-L和血清Nf-L之间存在显著关联（r = 0.2，p = 0.009）。综上所述，这些发现表明Nf-L在牛神经病学中作为诊断工具的潜力。
