Prospects of toll-like receptors in dairy cattle breeding.

ABSTRACT

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in mediating the immune response against various microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi, in innate and adaptive immunity. Ten functional TLRs (TLR1 to TLR10) have been identified and mapped in cattle, with each TLR recognising specific pathogen-associated molecular patterns. The variation in genes controlling the immune response contributes to susceptibility or resistance to various infectious diseases such as mastitis, bovine tuberculosis, and paratuberculosis. Identifying TLR SNPs shows promising results for future marker-assisted breeding strategies, screening for disease risks, and improving the genetic resistance of dairy cattle. This article aims not only to review the research into susceptibility or resistance to infectious diseases and milk production traits in dairy cattle but also to discuss the limitations in current studies and the prospects in dairy cattle breeding.