Journal Article

Assessment of selected immunological parameters in dairy cows with naturally occurring mycotoxicosis before and after the application of a mycotoxin deactivator

Lisiecka, Urszula, Krakowski, Leszek, Dąbrowski, Roman, Kulpa, Katarzyna, Brodzki, Piotr, Marczuk, Jan, Brodzki, Nikodem, Bochniarz, Mariola, Szczubiał, Marek, Wolniaczyk, Karolina

2023

Overview

Mycotoxins in dairy cows can cause many non-specific symptoms often resulting from immune system overreaction. The study assessed the concentration of selected cytokines and acute phase proteins (APP) in cows with natural mycotoxicosis before and after using a mycotoxin neutraliser. The cytokines were tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 10 (IL-10), and the APP were serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp). The research was carried out on an experimental group (Exp) of 10 herdmate Holstein-Friesian cows with mycotoxicosis. The control group (Con) was 10 healthy cows of the same breed from a different herd. Cows in the Exp group were administered the mycotoxin deactivator Mycofix for three months. Blood was drawn from Exp cows once before administering Mycofix and a second time after three months of its use. Blood was also drawn from Con cows at the same times. Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, SAA and Hp were assessed using ELISA. The concentrations of all cytokines and Hp in Exp cows were higher before treatment (P < 0.001) than those in Con cows. After three months of administering Mycofix, the concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly lower than their pre-treatment levels (P < 0.001). The concentrations of IL-6, IL-10, and Hp were still significantly higher than those in the Con group (P < 0.001). In cows with mycotoxicosis, simultaneous stimulation of antagonistic processes was noted: a pro-inflammatory process in the upregulation of TNF-α and IL-6, and an anti-inflammatory one in the upregulation of IL-10. Despite the absorbent's use and the resolution of clinical symptoms in Exp cows, high levels of IL-10 and Hp and IL-6 were maintained. Assessment of the level of cytokines and APP appears to be a useful and precise tool for the evaluation and application of the appropriate dose of the mycotoxin absorbent or the evaluation of its effectiveness.

• Publisher: Sciendo,De Gruyter Brill Sp. z o.o., Paradigm Publishing Services
• Subject: absorbents / Acute phase proteins / Amyloid / Amyloid precursor protein / blood serum / cows / cytokine / Cytokines / Dairy cattle / Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay / Haptoglobin / haptoglobins / herds / Holstein / Immune system / Inflammation / Interleukin 10 / Interleukin 6 / Mycotoxicosis / mycotoxin deactivator / Mycotoxins / Serum levels / tumor necrosis factor-alpha / Tumor necrosis factor-TNF / Tumor necrosis factor-α / Tumors / veterinary medicine