Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Animal Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #212850
Title: Evidence for a relationship between bovine erythrocyte lipid membrane peculiarities and immune pressure from ruminal ciliates

Author
item GIMENEZ, GUADALUPE - UNIV OF BUENOS AIRES
item FLORIN-CHRISTENSEN, MONICA - INTA, ARGENTINA
item BELAUNZARAN, MARIA - UNIV OF BUENOS AIRES
item ISOLA, ELVIRA - UNIV OF BUENOS AIRES
item Suarez, Carlos
item FLORIN-CHRISTENSEN, JORGE - UNIV OF BUENOS AIRES

Submitted to: Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/3/2007
Publication Date: 10/15/2007
Citation: Gimenez, G., Florin-Christensen, M., Belaunzaran, M.L., Isola, E.L., Suarez, C.E., Florin-Christensen, J. 2007. Evidence for a relationship between bovine erythrocyte lipid membrane peculiarities and immune pressure from ruminal ciliates. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology. 119(3-4):171-179.

Interpretive Summary: We propose that the unique phospholipid composition of bovine erythrocytes appears as an evolutionary adaptation to tolerate lytic effects of anti-phospholipid antibodies generated against AEPL, a membrane component of the huge mass of ruminal ciliates, necessary commensals of this group of mammals. We report the presence in normal bovine serum of high levels of anti-phospholipid antibodies of IgM isotype against, PC and the phosphono analogue of PE, aminoethylphosphonolipid (AEPL), normally produced by rumen ciliates. In contrast, no antibodies were detected against SM or N-acyl-PE (NAPE), the major components of bovine erythrocytes. In addition, we found that exposure of the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila to bovine serum results in rapid lysis, an effect that was inhibited by adsorption of the serum with SM/AEPL liposomes. Furthermore, incubation with bovine serum had a similar effect on freshly obtained ruminal ciliates, and the lytic activity was eliminated by pre-adsorption of the serum with SM/PE liposomes. Therefore, these observations suggest a relationship between bovine erythrocyte lipid membrane peculiarities and immune pressure from ruminal ciliates

Technical Abstract: Erythrocytes of bovines and other ruminants have a strikingly anomalous phospholipid composition, with low or absent phosphatidylcholine (PC) together with high sphingomyelin (SM) content. Here, we report the presence in normal bovine serum of high levels of anti-phospholipid antibodies of IgM isotype against, PC and the phosphono analogue of PE, aminoethylphosphonolipid (AEPL), normally produced by rumen ciliates. In contrast, no antibodies were detected against SM or N-acyl-PE (NAPE), the major components of bovine erythrocytes. In addition, we found that exposure of the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila to bovine serum results in rapid lysis, an effect that was inhibited by adsorption of the serum with SM/AEPL liposomes. Furthermore, incubation with bovine serum had a similar effect on freshly obtained ruminal ciliates, and the lytic activity was eliminated by pre-adsorption of the serum with SM/PE liposomes. The ruminant mode of life with its concomitant ciliate fauna is hereby linked to the peculiar conformation of bovine erythrocyte membranes. We propose that the unique phospholipid composition of bovine erythrocytes appears as an evolutionary adaptation to tolerate lytic effects of anti-phospholipid antibodies generated against AEPL, a membrane component of the huge mass of ruminal ciliates, necessary commensals of this group of mammals.