Genetic and stress-mediated influence on Aujeszky's disease virus induced interferon-alpha production in porcine leukocytes.
The ability to produce interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) in vitro was measured in blood from 200 F2-crosses between European wild boar and Swedish Yorkshire pigs, originating from a reference pedigree for gene mapping. A total of 200 pigs of 44 litters, descendent from 4 boars and 22 sows, were stressed by transportation together with non-littermates for 5 h. Blood samples were collected from each individual twice, i.e. immediately before transportation and the day after transportation. IFN-alpha production was induced in whole blood cultures by a monolayer of fixed, Aujeszky's disease virus infected, porcine kidney cells. In general, the amount of IFN-alpha produced was significantly lower (p = 0.02) the day after transportation, although the ability to produce IFN-alpha showed a large individual variation (p < 0.001). However, both the levels of IFN-alpha produced and the decrease after transportation varied between the four parental offspring groups. Also, indications of single genes with significant effects on the ability to produce IFN-alpha were found. These results confirm a genetic influence on the ability to produce IFN-alpha. In addition, stress, such as transportation and mixing, may decrease the level of IFN-alpha produced.
Wattrang
E
E
Edfors-Lilja
I
I
Andersson
L
L
Fossum
C
C
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D011558:Herpesvirus 1, Suid / Q000502:physiology*; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D011557:Pseudorabies / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
D016898:Interferon-alpha