Abstract
Porcine circovirus-associated disease is caused by porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection, which targets iliac artery endothelial cells (PIECs); it leads to severe immunopathologies and is associated with major economic losses in the porcine industry. Here, we report that in vitro PCV2 infection of PIECs causes cell injury, which affects DC function as well as adaptive immunity. Specifically, PCV2 infection downregulated PIEC antigen-presenting molecule expression, upregulated cytokines involved in the immune and inflammatory response causing cell damage and repair, and altered the migratory capacity of PIECs. In addition, PCV2-infected PIECs inhibited DC maturation, enhanced the endocytic ability of DCs, and weakened the stimulatory effect of DCs on T lymphocytes. Together, these findings indicate that profound functional impairment of DCs in the presence of PCV2-infected PIECs may be a potential pathogenic mechanism associated with PCV2-induced porcine disease.
Highlights
Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the causative agent of PCV2-associated disease (PCVAD), which leads to immense economic losses in the porcine industry worldwide [1,2,3]
The expression levels of IL-8 in porcine iliac artery endothelial cells (PIECs) infected with PCV2 were determined at the mRNA and protein (ELISA) levels respectively
IL-8 mRNA expression levels were upregulated in PCV2-infected PIECs, with a significant difference (P < 0.05) at 4, 24, and 48 hpi compared to mock cells (Fig 3A)
Summary
Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the causative agent of PCV2-associated disease (PCVAD), which leads to immense economic losses in the porcine industry worldwide [1,2,3]. There is considerable evidence for the various presentations of PCV2 infection, such as porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome, reproductive failure, proliferative and necrotizing pneumonia, respiratory disease and enteritis [4]. Immunosuppression and immune injury are the hallmarks of PCV2 infection and PCVAD [2, 5, 6]. Research in the recent decade has highlighted the involvement of vascular lesions/alterations in the pathogenesis of certain PCVD presentations. PCVD-infected swine exhibit blood hypercoagulation, petechiae and vasculitis associated with lymph node atrophy, organ failure with ischemic, necrotic lesions, and brain hemorrhage [7, 8].
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