title: Highly Pathogenic Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Infection Induced Apoptosis and Autophagy in Thymi of Infected Piglets.
abstract: Previously, we demonstrated that the highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (HP-PRRSV) HuN4 strain causes obvious thymic atrophy and thymocytes apoptosis in infected piglets after birth, which is more severe than that induced by classical PRRSV. In this study, we investigated apoptosis and autophagy in the thymus of piglets infected with the HP-PRRSV HuN4 strain, and found that both apoptosis and autophagy occurred in the thymus of piglets infected with HP-PRRSV. In addition to a few virus-infected cells, CD14+ cells, the main autophagic cells in the thymus were thymic epithelial cells. These findings demonstrated that HP-PRRSV induces apoptosis in bystander cells, and induces autophagy in both infected and bystander cells in the thymus of infected piglets. Herein, we first present new data on the thymic lesions induced by HP-PRRSV, and show that apoptosis and autophagy are key mechanisms involved in cell survival and determinants of the severity of thymic atrophy in infected piglets. Finally, future studies of the mechanism underlying immune responses are proposed based on our current understanding of PRRSV-host interactions.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150001, PR China; Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, PR China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Yabin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Yonggang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150001, PR China; Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, PR China.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Yafei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Shujie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Chenggang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, PR China.
authors.forename: En-Min
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Xuehui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001343:Autophagy; D024201:Bystander Effect; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D019318:Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D019316:Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013552:Swine; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8