Overexpression of Porcine Beta-Defensin 2 Enhances Resistance to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Infection in Pigs.
To reduce the need for antibiotics in animal production, alternative approaches are needed to control infection. We hypothesized that overexpression of native defensin genes will provide food animals with enhanced resistance to bacterial infections. In this study, recombinant porcine beta-defensin 2 (PBD-2) was overexpressed in stably transfected PK-15 porcine kidney cells. PBD-2 antibacterial activities against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, an important respiratory pathogen causing porcine contagious pleuropneumonia, were evaluated on agar plates. Transgenic pigs constitutively overexpressing PBD-2 were produced by a somatic cell cloning method, and their resistance to bacterial infection was evaluated by direct or cohabitation infection with A. pleuropneumoniae. Recombinant PBD-2 peptide that was overexpressed in the PK-15 cells showed antibacterial activity against A. pleuropneumoniae. PBD-2 was overexpressed in the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and jejunum of the transgenic pigs, which showed significantly lower bacterial loads in the lungs and reduced lung lesions after direct or cohabitation infection with A. pleuropneumoniae. The results demonstrate that transgenic overexpression of PBD-2 in pigs confers enhanced resistance against A. pleuropneumoniae infection.
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Xi
X
Yang
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Yu-Ting
YT
Cheng
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Mei-Fang
MF
Tan
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Hua-Wei
HW
Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Wan-Quan
WQ
Liu
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Geng
G
Zou
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Liang-Sheng
LS
Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Chun-Yan
CY
Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Si-Min
SM
Deng
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Lei
L
Yu
Institute of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Xue-Ying
XY
Hu
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China Cooperative Innovation Center of Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China.
Lu
L
Li
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China Cooperative Innovation Center of Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China rzhou@mail.hzau.edu.cn.
Rui
R
Zhou
D000189:Actinobacillus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016977:Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D058491:Bacterial Load; D002460:Cell Line; D060467:Disease Resistance; D015870:Gene Expression; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D023083:beta-Defensins