Immuno-therapeutic efficacy of cytokines in bovine mastitis

摘要

Cytokines are a group of low molecular weight regulatory proteins secreted by white blood cells and a variety of other cells in the body in response to a number of inducing stimuli (Lawman et al., 1989). These represent a method of inter-cellular communication transmitting to cells of immune system "message" that regulate and coordinate immune response. Cytokines bind to specific receptors on the membrane of target cells, triggering signal transduction pathways that ultimately alter gene expressionin target cells bringing the biological effects. Cytokines regulate the activity of the host's defense by (i) activating B cells, T cells, macrophages and other primary and secondary cells of defense system, (ii) inducing the clonal expansion of activated T and B cells, (iii) initiating the secondary secretion of a variety of other cytokines by activated lymphocytes. (iv) cytokines also stimulate the interaction between the neutrophil adhesion molecule and endothelial adhesion molecule.