J Vet Sci.  2009 Sep;10(3):177-180. 10.4142/jvs.2009.10.3.177.

Immunohistochemical localization of galectin-3 in the granulomatous lesions of paratuberculosis-infected bovine intestine

• Lee J
• Moon C
• Kim J
• Jung C
• Lee KH
• Joo HG
• Ahn M
• Shin T

• KMID: 1726915
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2009.10.3.177

Abstract

The presence of galectin-3 was immunohistochemically quantified in bovine intestines infected with paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) to determine whether galectin-3 was involved in the formation of granulation tissue associated with the disease. Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection was histochemically confirmed using Ziehl-Neelsen staining and molecularly diagnosed through rpoB DNA sequencing. Galectin-3 was detected in the majority of inflammatory cells, possibly macrophages, in the granulomatous lesions within affected tissues, including the ileum. These findings suggest that galectin-3 is associated with the formation of chronic granulation tissues in bovine paratuberculosis, probably through cell adhesion and anti-apoptosis mechanisms.

Keyword

bovine paratuberculosis; galectin-3; granulation; intestine

MeSH Terms

Animals
Cattle
Cattle Diseases/*pathology
Chronic Disease
Galectin 3/*metabolism
Immunohistochemistry
Intestine, Small/microbiology/*pathology
Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis/growth & development/isolation & purification
Paratuberculosis/*pathology
RNA Polymerase II/genetics

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Histopathologic findings of intestine and lymph nodes with with Johne's disease. (A) Accumulation of inflammatory cells in the lamina propria of the small intestine. (B) Higher magnification of (A) showing large macrophages (arrowheads) and lymphocytes (arrows) accumulated in the lamina propria. (C) Mesenteric lymph node. Note the multinucleated giant cell (arrow). A-C, H-E staining. A and C: Scale bars = 100 µm, B: Scale bar = 50 µm.

• 

  Fig. 2 Histochemical detection of acid-fast bacteria and immunohistochemical localization of galectin-3 in serial sections of small intestines infected with Johne's disease. Acid-fast bacilli were identified in the lamina propria of the small intestines using Ziehl-Neelsen staining (red color, A and C). Galectin-3 immunoreactivity (B and D) overlapped with acid-fast bacteria-containing cells (A) in the adjacent section. C and D show higher magnifications of arrow indicated fields in A and B, respectively. A and C: Ziehl-Neelsen staining. B and D: Immunostaining of galectin-3. A and B: Scale bars = 200 µm. C and D: Scale bars = 50 µm.

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