Early response of bovine alveolar macrophages to infection with live and heat-killed Mycobacterium bovis. Bos taurus

Bovine tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a disease of considerable economic importance yet comparatively little is known about the bovine immune response to the disease. Alveolar macrophages are one of the first cells to encounter mycobacteria following infection. In this experiment we investigated the early transcriptional response of bovine alveolar macrophages following infection with M. bovis. The transcriptional response to heat-killed M. bovis was also investigated to look for genes that are only differentially transcribed in response to the live organism. Overall design: Five-condition experiment, uninfected, live and heat-killed M. bovis-infected bovine alveolar macrophages from five cattle infected for two and four hours. Comparisons were within animal. Dye swaps were incorporated into the design.