Shifts in Porcine PBMC Populations from Adolescence to Adulthood

Publication date: Available online 15 April 2019Source: Veterinary Immunology and ImmunopathologyAuthor(s): Wolfgang SiposAbstractIn mammals, the immune system is undergoing significant changes during development, which has many impacts on the individual’s capacity to cope with infectious diseases or other pathologic conditions, where the immune system is involved. Especially in livestock, it is important to know in detail about these changes, including shifts in the composition of systemic leukocyte populations, as this knowledge may help to focus on relevant cell populations when developing novel vaccines for use in juvenile versus adult animals. In this mini-review, a synoptic comparison of published PBMC populations, which were analysed in healthy weaned piglets as well as multiparous non-gestating sows, shows remarkable shifts within leukocyte populations. γδ T cells increase by factor 1.5, plasmacytoid dendritic cells and T helper cells more than double, and cytotoxic T cells as well as regulatory T cells increase more than four fold, whereas NK cells as well as B cells in adult sows comprise only 40 % and monocytes 70 % of the relative population sizes in weaned piglets. In summary, these insights into age-dependent shifts of porcine leukocyte populations indicate an increase of acquired immunity-associated leukocyte populations, whereas innate immunity-associated cell types (NK cells, monocytes) are diminished.
Source: Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research