Immunomodulatory factors and infectious agents associated with the hepatic gene expression of the IGF system in nursery pigs

M.J. Slifierz; R. Friendship; C.F.M. de Lange; D. Slavic; H. Grgic; A. Farzan

Animal (Jan 2014)

Immunomodulatory factors and infectious agents associated with the hepatic gene expression of the IGF system in nursery pigs

M.J. Slifierz,
R. Friendship,
C.F.M. de Lange,
D. Slavic,
H. Grgic,
A. Farzan

Affiliations

M.J. Slifierz: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1
R. Friendship: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1
C.F.M. de Lange: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1
D. Slavic: Animal Health Laboratory, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1
H. Grgic: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1
A. Farzan: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8, no. 5
pp. 844 – 851

Abstract

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Recent findings suggest there is a complex interaction between the IGF system and the inflammatory immune response. The objective of this study was to determine whether gene expression of growth factors (IGF-1, IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and growth hormone receptors (GHR)) in the liver is associated with gene expression of immunomodulators in the liver, including C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), interferon-α (IFN-α), IFN-γ, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-18, as well as with the presence of Salmonella spp., Lawsonia intracellularis, Brachyspira spp., enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, swine influenza virus, and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in nursery pigs (n=74) from commercial farms (n=4). Gene expression was quantified using reverse transcription quantitative-PCR (RT-qPCR) and the data were modelled using logistic regression methods. Pigs with elevated IGF-1 expression were less likely to have increased expression of TNF-α (odds ratio (OR)=0.14, P<0.01) and IL-18 (OR=0.19, P<0.05), and less likely to be colonized with PRRSV (OR=0.03, P<0.01). Pigs with increased expression of IGFBP-3 were more likely to have elevated IL-6 expression (OR=8.5, P<0.05). It was also observed that IGFBP-3 and IGF-1 were significantly associated when Hp expression was low (OR=30, P<0.05), but this association was not significant when Hp expression was high (P=0.54). Pigs with increased expression of GHR were less likely to have elevated expression of SAA (OR=0.01, P<0.05) and IL-1β (OR=0.03, P<0.05), but more likely to have increased expression of CRP (OR=290, P<0.01). Overall, there appears to be an inverse association between the hepatic expression of the IGF system (IGF-1, IGFBP-3, GHR) and certain cytokines (IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α) and acute-phase proteins (SAA, Hp).

Published in Animal

ISSN: 1751-7311 (Print); 1751-732X (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Animal culture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/animal/

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