Investigating the health and economic benefits of colostrum and milk from dairy cattle selected for enhanced immunity

奶牛的疾病对肉质和奶质产生不利影响。我们的研究表明，高免疫应答（HIR）牛具有许多健康优势，包括更高质量的初乳/牛奶。HIR技术由我们的合作伙伴，Semex联盟推广为Immunity+。虽然HIR存在许多优点，包括增强抗原特异性抗体和细胞介导的免疫反应，但还有更多的优点有待发现，特别是在初乳方面。初乳是母亲分泌的第一种乳汁，可以保护新生儿免受疾病的侵害。HIR奶牛有增强的抗原特异性抗体，它们通过初乳传递给小牛。除了与疾病保护相关的抗原特异性抗体外，初乳中还有许多其他成分，包括“天然”抗体。天然抗体存在于循环中，以前没有接触过病原体，并提供先天防御的第一道防线。天然抗体和其他天然防御分子，被称为防御素，也没有在初乳和HIR高免疫应答者的背景下进行研究。本研究的重点是检测初乳/乳中针对疫苗的抗原特异性抗体、天然抗体和防御素，以及对抗体循环很重要的受体编码基因的表达变化，称为FcRN （Fc受体新生儿），这可能会揭示一种改善新生儿小牛健康的潜在方法。****除了免疫的遗传调控外，还有表观遗传机制，如牛初乳中发现的微RNA （miRNA）影响新生儿免疫系统的发育。我们小组的初步数据表明，HIR奶牛具有更多数量的特异性mirna，有可能影响新生儿免疫。因此，在HIR背景下进一步研究免疫调节miRNA也是必要的。**

Diseases of dairy cattle adversely affect meat and milk quality. Our research demonstrates that high immune response (HIR) cattle have many health advantages, including better quality colostrum/milk. HIR technology is marketed by our partner, the Semex Alliance as Immunity+. While many advantages of HIR exist, including enhanced antigen-specific antibody and cell-mediated immune responses, there are more to discover, particularly in relation to colostrum. Colostrum is the first milk produced from the mother that protects newborns from disease. HIR cows have enhanced antigen-specific antibody which they pass to their calves via colostrum. There are many other components of colostrum apart from antigen-specific antibody associated with disease protection, including "natural" antibody. Natural antibody is present in circulation without previous exposure to pathogens and provides part of the first-line of innate defense. Natural antibodies and other natural defense molecules, known as defensins, also have not been investigated in the context of colostrum and HIR high immune responders. Examining antigen-specific antibody to vaccines, natural antibody and defensins in colostrum/milk from high versus average or low immune responders, as well as variation in the expression of genes that code for a receptor important for the circulation of antibody, called FcRN (Fc Receptor Neonatal), will be the focus here and may reveal a potential method to improve neonatal calf health.****In addition to genetic regulation of immunity, there are epigenetic mechanisms, such as micro RNA (miRNA) found in bovine colostrum that influence the development of the neonatal immune system. Preliminary data from our group indicates that HIR cows have greater quantities of specific miRNAs with the potential to impact neonatal immunity. Therefore further investigation of immuno-regulatory miRNA in the context of HIR is also warranted. **