Estudo do proteinograma e dos minerais cobre, ferro e zinco no soro de ovelhas da Raça Santa Inês com mastite induzida experimentalmente com Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the alterations on the protein screen and serum cupper, iron and zinc levels of Santa Inês primiparous ewes with mastitis experimentally induced with Staphylococcus aureus. The right mammary gland of ten healthy ewes was inoculated with 1,0x104 ufc/mL. The clinical exam; eletrophoresis profile in poliacrilamide gel (SDS-PAGE), concentration of serum cupper, iron and zinc and plasma fibrinogen were measured before the inoculation (baseline moment) and in the following moments: 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 168, 180, 288 and 336 hours after the inoculation of the agent. All animals experimentally infected presented clinical mastitis and subsequent loss of functionality of the gland. The protein screen showed 23 proteins fractions with molecular weights (MW) varying from 26.000 to 185.000 daltons (Da) allowing the recognition of positive and negative acute-phase proteins, class A and G immunoglobulin’s and some non-identified proteins. A significant increase (P<0,05) in haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin concentration, IgG and IgA was observed. Antitrypsin and acid glicoprotein concentrations (P<0,05) did not alter. The average levels of iron and zinc decreased (P<0,05)and the cupper values increased (P<0,05). A positive correlation between plasma fibrinogen and ceruloplasmin (r=0,74), haptoglobin (r=0,62) and IgA (r=0,62) was also identified. Results showed the importance of ceruloplasmin and haptoglobin as acute-phase proteins in intramammary infections of ewes and reiterate fibrinogen as an inflammatory marker because of its high correlation with specific proteins. The serum alterations of Cu, Fe and Zn revealed the action of inflammatory mediators triggered by S. aureus.