Pig lung immune cytokine response to the swine influenza virus and the Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infection

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the local innate immune response to the swine influenza virus (SIV) and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (App) infection in pigs. Material and Methods: The study was performed on 37 seven-week-old pigs, divided into four groups: App-infected (n=11), App+ SIV-infected (n=11), SIV-infected (n=11), and control (n=4). Lung samples were collected, following euthanasia, on the 2nd and 4th dpi (three piglets per inoculated group) and on the 10th dpi (remaining inoculated and control pigs). Lung concentrations of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IL-10, IFN-alpha, and IFN-gamma were analysed with the use of commercial porcine cytokine ELISA kits. Results: Lung concentrations of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IFN-alpha, and IFN-gamma were induced in SIV-infected and App+ SIV-infected pigs. In the lung tissue of App-infected pigs, only concentrations of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, and IFN-gamma were elevated. Additionally, in App+SIV-infected pigs, significantly greater concentrations of IL-1 beta, IL-8, and IFN-alpha were found when compared with pigs infected with either SIV or App alone. In each tested group, the lung concentration of IL-10 remained unchanged during the entire study. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that the experimental infection of pigs with SIV or App alone and co-infection with both pathogens induced a local lung inflammatory response. However, the local cytokine response was considerably higher in co-infected pigs compared to singleinfected pigs.