Adhesion molecules and cytokine profile in ileal tissue of sheep infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

We found that E-cadherins, α-catenin and β1-integrins were present at significant low levels in tissues of sheep affected by lepromatous form and that this pattern was associated with high expression of TGF-β, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α and with a modest increase of CD4+ and CD25+ T cells. Tissues of sheep with the tuberculoid form showed high expression of IFNγ, IL-12, and MCP-1 and a significant presence of CD4+ and CD25+ T cells. Finally, anti-transglutaminase (tTG) IgG1 antibodies were detected in sera of infected animal belonging to both groups, as already described for human inflammatory bowel diseases. Our results further stress the similarities in the clinical and histological features between ruminant paratuberculosis and human intestinal inflammatory diseases.