title: Systemic cytokine profile in feeder pigs suffering from natural postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) as determined by semiquantitative RT-PCR and flow cytometric intracellular cytokine detection.
abstract: Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) is an economically important disease in pigs caused by porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). Development of this disease is presumably associated with an impairment of the immune system. We, therefore, investigated the systemic expression of relevant cytokines (IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p40, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma) and IL-2Ralpha at mRNA (semiquantitative RT-PCR) and at protein level (flow cytometric intracellular cytokine detection after short-time stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells) in 10 feeder pigs aged 14 weeks suffering from natural PMWS and in 10 clinically healthy pen-mates. Hematological examination revealed a significant (p < 0.001) relative lymphopenia in the diseased animals when compared to reference pigs. IL-1alpha and IL-10 mRNA levels were notably increased in the affected pigs, whereas IL-2 and IL-2Ralpha (CD25) mRNA levels tended to be down-regulated. IL-8, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma mRNA expressions appeared to be slightly increased. Intracellular cytokine levels as measured by flow cytometry revealed an increase of IL-1beta, IL-2, and IL-6, whereas IL-12 and TNF-alpha expressions were not affected. IFN-gamma was slightly decreased in the diseased animals. In conclusion, despite the assumption, that the cellular immune response to PMWS as a virus-induced disease should be characterized by either a Th1 driven cytokine profile or a cytokine profile indicative of T cell immunosuppression, our results did not support that hypothesis. Nevertheless, data from intracellular cytokine detection suggest an even increased percentage of the remaining lymphocytes capable to produce IL-2 upon in vitro stimulation, which is in contrast to the slightly diminished IL-2 mRNA levels reflecting the in vivo situation at least at the mRNA level.
authors.affiliation: II. Medical Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria. wolfgang.sipos@vu-wien.ac.at
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sipos
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Duvigneau
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Willheim
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schilcher
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Hartl
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hofbauer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Exel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pietschmann
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schmoll
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D018173:Circoviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D017925:Circovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000662:veterinary; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D019282:Wasting Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger