Whole blood cytokine profiles in cats infected by feline coronavirus and healthy non-FCoV infected specific pathogen-free cats.

Abstract

In this study, the cytokine profiles of clinically healthy cats naturally infected with feline coronavirus (FCoV), of cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and of specific pathogen-free (SPF) cats were investigated in whole blood using a traditional reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay and a semi-quantitative method of analysis based on computerised quantification of positive bands. The low inter-assay coefficient of variation recorded demonstrated that this method is highly repeatable. Compared with SPF cats, cytokine production was upregulated in most of the samples from FCoV-positive non-symptomatic cats. The appearance of a case of FIP in the cattery was associated with an increased expression of cytokines, in particular there was an increased production of IL-1beta and IFN-gamma, suggesting that these cytokines might protect infected cats from the disease. This hypothesis was also supported by the low levels of IFN-gamma recorded in blood from cats with FIP.

• Authors: Maria E Gelain, Marina Meli, Saverio Paltrinieri
• Journal: Journal of feline medicine and surgery (J Feline Med Surg) Vol. 8 Issue 6 Pg. 389-99 (Dec 2006) ISSN: 1098-612X [Print] England
• PMID: 16777454 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Cytokines
• RNA, Messenger

Topics

• Animals
• Cats
• Coronavirus, Feline (immunology, pathogenicity)
• Cytokines (blood)
• Feline Infectious Peritonitis (blood, immunology)
• Female
• Male
• RNA, Messenger (genetics)
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (methods)
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Statistics, Nonparametric