Ozturk Merve, Dortbudak Muhammet Bahaeddin, Bekmez Bayram, Biagini Lucia, Altuğ Nuri, Rossi Giacomo, Ozturk Yasin, Di Cerbo Alessandro
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Necmettin Erbakan, 42310 Ereğli, Konya, Turkey.
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Harran University, 63510 Şanlıurfa, Şanlıurfa, Turkey.
Pathogens. 2025 Jun 16;14(6):593. doi: 10.3390/pathogens14060593.
Paratuberculosis, caused by subspecies (MAP), is a chronic granulomatous enteritis with significant implications for ruminant health, economic productivity, and potential zoonotic risk. This study investigated the expression of biomarkers of oxidative stress and apoptosis in goats naturally infected with MAP, focusing on three biological matrices: serum, intestinal mucosa, and mesenteric lymph nodes. Twenty MAP-positive goats and ten healthy controls were included. Serum and tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSR), and caspase-3 were quantitatively assessed using ELISA tests. Gross and histopathological analyses confirmed MAP infection. Infected animals showed significantly elevated serum levels of MDA and caspase-3 ( < 0.001), along with decreased antioxidant enzyme activities (GSR, GST, GPX, SOD). Tissue analysis revealed increased MDA and caspase-3 levels, particularly in the intestinal mucosa compared to mesenteric lymph nodes, suggesting localized oxidative damage and apoptosis. Conversely, antioxidant enzyme activity was higher in mesenteric lymph nodes, indicating a compensatory response and a pronounced involvement of the intestinal tract. These findings demonstrate that MAP infection induces marked oxidative stress and apoptotic processes, especially in the intestinal mucosa. The imbalance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant systems may play a key role in the pathogenesis and chronic progression of the disease. Caspase-3 and MDA, in particular, have been identified as promising diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for MAP infection. This study highlights the importance of developing improved diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies targeting oxidative stress pathways in paratuberculosis.
副结核（由副结核分枝杆菌亚种（MAP）引起）是一种慢性肉芽肿性肠炎，对反刍动物健康、经济生产力以及潜在的人畜共患病风险具有重大影响。本研究调查了自然感染MAP的山羊体内氧化应激和凋亡生物标志物的表达情况，重点关注三种生物基质：血清、肠黏膜和肠系膜淋巴结。纳入了20只MAP阳性山羊和10只健康对照。使用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）试验定量评估血清和组织中丙二醛（MDA）、谷胱甘肽S-转移酶（GST）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GPX）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、谷胱甘肽还原酶（GSR）和半胱天冬酶-3的水平。大体和组织病理学分析证实了MAP感染。感染动物的血清MDA和半胱天冬酶-3水平显著升高（<0.001），同时抗氧化酶活性（GSR、GST、GPX、SOD）降低。组织分析显示MDA和半胱天冬酶-3水平升高，尤其是肠黏膜中的水平高于肠系膜淋巴结，提示局部氧化损伤和凋亡。相反，肠系膜淋巴结中的抗氧化酶活性较高，表明存在代偿反应且肠道受累明显。这些发现表明，MAP感染会诱导明显的氧化应激和凋亡过程，尤其是在肠黏膜中。促氧化剂和抗氧化剂系统之间的失衡可能在该疾病的发病机制和慢性进展中起关键作用。特别是，半胱天冬酶-3和MDA已被确定为MAP感染有前景的诊断或预后生物标志物。本研究强调了开发针对副结核中氧化应激途径的改进诊断工具和治疗策略的重要性。
