Zhang Junjun, Chen Na, Yang Zhen, Gao Yumeng, Zhang Bohao, Li Jianfu, Zhou Bin, Tang Zhixiong, Dong Weitao, Zhao Xingxu, Zhang Yong, Zhang Quanwei
College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730030, China.
Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou 730070, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Mar 22;26(7):2898. doi: 10.3390/ijms26072898.
Cytokines are crucial in various physiological and pathological processes, especially in inflammatory diseases in mammals. However, the comprehensive identification of cytokines and their potential regulatory functions in the mammary glands of Holstein cows suffering from clinical mastitis (CM) remains only partially understood. This study aimed to systematically identify biological processes (BPs) and differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) associated with cytokines and to explore their functions through the analysis of previously obtained data from data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics. We confirmed that the dynamic balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory factors is closely associated with dairy mastitis. A total of 4 BPs, comprising 75 upregulated and 16 downregulated DEPs, were identified, particularly in relation to adiponectin (ADIPOQ), which strongly interacts with the other DEPs and participates in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) and adipocytokine signaling pathways. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining revealed that ADIPOQ was predominantly localized in the cytoplasm of mammary epithelial cells. Moreover, the expression levels of mRNA and protein in the mammary glands of the CM group were notably reduced compared to those in the healthy group. A potential mechanism of action of ADIPOQ was suggested, with findings indicating that a decrease in ADIPOQ expression could potentially worsen inflammation in CM. These results offer novel insights into cytokines and the regulatory mechanisms of ADIPOQ in Holstein cows with CM which may benefit the prevention and treatment of dairy mastitis.
细胞因子在各种生理和病理过程中至关重要，尤其是在哺乳动物的炎症性疾病中。然而，对于患有临床乳腺炎（CM）的荷斯坦奶牛乳腺中细胞因子及其潜在调节功能的全面鉴定仍仅部分为人所知。本研究旨在系统地鉴定与细胞因子相关的生物学过程（BP）和差异表达蛋白（DEP），并通过分析先前从数据非依赖采集（DIA）蛋白质组学获得的数据来探索它们的功能。我们证实促炎和抗炎因子之间的动态平衡与奶牛乳腺炎密切相关。共鉴定出4个BP，包括75个上调和16个下调的DEP，特别是与脂联素（ADIPOQ）相关，脂联素与其他DEP强烈相互作用，并参与过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体（PPAR）和脂肪细胞因子信号通路。免疫组织化学和免疫荧光染色显示，ADIPOQ主要定位于乳腺上皮细胞的细胞质中。此外，与健康组相比，CM组奶牛乳腺中mRNA和蛋白质的表达水平显著降低。本研究提出了ADIPOQ的潜在作用机制，结果表明ADIPOQ表达的降低可能会使CM中的炎症恶化。这些结果为CM荷斯坦奶牛中的细胞因子和ADIPOQ的调节机制提供了新的见解，可能有助于奶牛乳腺炎的预防和治疗。
