Brief Research Report: Expression of PD-1 and CTLA-4 in T Lymphocytes and Their Relationship With the Periparturient Period and the Endometrial Cytology of Dairy Cows During the Postpartum Period

Abstract

The present study sought to evaluate the expression of PD-1 and CTLA-4 in blood T lymphocytes during the periparturient period and their relationship with uterine health in dairy cows, as determined by endometrial cytology and serum concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), which are indicators of a negative energy balance. The second objective of this study was to investigate whether the expression of PD-1 and CTLA-4 in T lymphocytes is associated with the serum acute phase-protein haptoglobin concentration during the periparturient period. To address these objectives, 26 clinically healthy dairy cows were used. Peripheral blood was collected 14 days prepartum (T-14), at calving (T0), and 30 days postpartum (T30) to measure the expression of PD-1 and CTLA-4 in blood T lymphocytes by flow cytometry. In addition, we collected blood at T0, 10 days after parturition (T10), and T30 to obtain serum and determine the serum concentrations of NEFA, BHB, and Hp. Endometrial cytology was performed at T10, 20 days after parturition (T20), and T30. In the present study, we observed higher expression of CTLA-4 and PD-1 in T lymphocytes at parturition and in the prepartum period, which could indicate a relationship between these immune checkpoints and immunological tolerance during gestation in dairy cattle. In addition, a negative association between the expression of these immune checkpoints prepartum or at parturition and endometrial cytology at T20 and T30 was observed, indicating the negative implications of these immune response regulators in susceptibility to infections. This finding was further corroborated by the relationship between the serum concentration of haptoglobin and the expression of CTLA-4 and PD-1 by T lymphocytes. However, we did not observe a relationship between the indicators of negative energy balance, evaluated by the serum concentrations of BHB and NEFA, and the expression of the immune checkpoint markers studied. Thus, our findings represent an initial step that paves the way for the development of new therapeutic alternatives directed by the host with the objective of increasing the resistance of dairy cattle to infections in this critical period of life.

Keywords: dairy cow; endometrial cytology; endometritis; immune checkpoints; transition period.

Figure 1

Expression of CTLA-4 (A) and PD-1 by blood T lymphocytes in dairy cows at T-14, T0, and T30 (B). CTLA-4: cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4; PD-1, programmed cell death protein 1; T-14 = 14 days before delivery; T0 = day of delivery; T30 = 30 days postpartum; GMFI, geometric mean fluorescence intensity. **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.0001.

Figure 2

Dairy cows diagnosed with cytological endometritis [i.e., percentage of neutrophils higher than 18 (% N > 18)] at T30 had a higher expression of PD-1 in blood T lymphocytes at both T0 (A) and T30 (B). PD-1, programmed cell death protein 1; T0 = day of delivery; T30 = 30 days postpartum; GMFI, geometric mean fluorescence intensity. **P < 0.01.