Some abstracts do not have video files because ASAS was denied recording rights.
187
Usefulness (or not) of inflammatory biomarkers- The good, the bad and ugly
The innate immune system has the job of sensing the host’s environment – looking for infections and tissue damage. It then does its second job, which is to recruit in the “right” cells to handle the problem. There is ample evidence that both physical and psychological distress can induce innate immune system pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines that can cause immune dysfunction in animals, leading to an increased incidence of infectious disease. In livestock, there are several factors that will compromise immune function. There is the stress of transportation, dehydration, feed change (with the resulting negative energy balance), acidosis, and associated microbial changes in the gut. Overstimulation of the innate immune system can result in a pro-inflammatory cytokine storm, which will increase tissue damage. Both pro-inflammatory cytokines [such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1, and interleukin-6] and anti-inflammatory cytokines (such as interleukin 10, transforming growth factor beta and interleukin 1 receptor antagonist) can be elevated in the serum of animals experiencing a cytokine storm. These in addition to acute phase proteins are often monitored to “measure inflammation”. An overview of “inflammation” and an experimental approach in cattle to study these local interactions will be discussed along with the proof of concept immunological measurements.
Keywords: innate immunity, inflammation, pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory