Stage of Gestation at Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infection of Pregnant Swine Impacts Maternal Immunity and Lactogenic Immune Protection of Neonatal Suckling Piglets

In this study, we infected pregnant first parity gilts in their first, second and third trimesters of gestation with PEDV to determine the impact of stage of gestation on generation of maternal B-cell immunity, the gut-MG-sIgA axis and lactogenic immune protection in PEDV challenged piglets. Our goal was to identify innate and adaptive immune factors during pregnancy that influence lymphocyte trafficking, in addition to immune correlates of lactogenic immune protection in neonatal suckling piglets. Understanding the impact of stage of gestation at PEDV infection or exposure on maternal immunity will allow more precise maternal vaccination protocols to target the time when the animal is most immunologically responsive. Optimizing vaccine efficacy for gestating and lactating animals will enhance lactogenic immunity in neonates and decrease morbidity and mortality associated with neonatal enteric disease. Results Overall Summary of Results and Significance for the Major Immune and PEDV Protection Parameters Assessed An overall summary of the statistically significant results (Table 1) illustrates that PEDV infection of gilts at different stages of gestation (Figure 1) affects multiple maternal systemic immune parameters prepartum, including natural killer (NK) cells, cytokines, B cells, and PEDV Abs and antibody secreting cells (ASCs). In addition, significant postpartum effects on lactogenic immune parameters in colostrum and milk were observed including significantly increa...
Source: Frontiers in Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research