Effects of inactivated porcine epidemic diarrhea virus on porcine monocyte-derived dendritic cells and intestinal dendritic cells

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is a serious infection in neonatal piglets. As the causative agent of PED, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) results in acute diarrhea and dehydration with high mortality rates in swine. Dendritic cells (DCs) are highly effective antigen-presenting cells to uptake and present viral antigens to T cells, which then initiate a distinct immune response. In this study, our results show that the expression of Mo-DCs surface markers such as SWC3a(+)CD1a(+), SWC3a(+)CD80/86(+) and SWC3a(+)SLA-II-DR(+) is increased after incubation with UV-PEDV for 24h. Mo-DCs incubated with UV-PEDV produce higher levels of IL-12 and INF-γ compared to mock-infected Mo-DCs. Interactions between Mo-DCs and UV-PEDV significantly stimulate T-cell proliferation in vitro. Consistent with these results, there is an enhancement in the ability of porcine intestinal DCs to activate T-cell proliferation in vivo. We conclude that UV-PEDV may be a useful and safe vaccine to trigger adaptive immunity.

Effects of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus on porcine monocyte-derived dendritic cells and intestinal dendritic cells

Infection with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes damage to intestinal epithelial cells and results in acute diarrhea and dehydration with high mortality rates in swine. Dendritic cells (DCs) are highly effective antigen-presenting cells widely distributed beneath the intestinal epithelium, thus making them an early target for virus contact. DCs uptake and present viral antigens to T cells, which then initiate a distinct immune response. In this study, we investigated how attenuated PEDV (CV777) affects the function of porcine monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DCs). Our results show that the expression of Mo-DC surface markers such as SWC3a(+)CD1a(+), SWC3a(+)CD80/86(+) and SWC3a(+)SLA-II-DR(+) is increased after infection with CV777 for 24 h. Mo-DCs infected with CV777 produce higher levels of IL-12 and INF-γ compared to mock-infected Mo-DCs but the expression profile for IL-10 does not change. Interactions between Mo-DCs and CV777 significantly influence the stimulation of the T cell response in vitro. Consistent with these results, after 48 h of CV777 infection, there is enhancement in the ability of porcine intestinal DCs to sample the antigen and activate T-cell proliferation in vivo. The enhancement of sampling and presentation is most pronounced for immature Mo-DCs. These results suggest that CV777 stimulates the ability of Mo-DCs to sample and present antigen. We conclude that CV777 may be a useful vaccine to trigger adaptive immunity.

Effects of virulent and attenuated transmissible gastroenteritis virus on the ability of porcine dendritic cells to sample and present antigen

Virulent transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) results in an acute, severe pathology and high mortality in piglets, while attenuated TGEV only causes moderate clinical reactions. Dendritic cells (DCs), through uptake and presentation of antigens to T cells, initiate distinct immune responses to different infections. In this study, an attenuated TGEV (STC3) and a virulent TGEV (SHXB) were used to determine whether porcine DCs play an important role in pathogenetic differences between these two TGEVs. Our results showed that immature and mature monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DCs) were susceptible to infection with SHXB and STC3. However, only SHXB inhibited Mo-DCs to activate T-cell proliferation by down-regulating the expression of cell–surface markers and the secretion of cytokines in vitro. In addition, after 48 h of SHXB infection, there was the impairment in the ability of porcine intestinal DCs to sample the antigen, to migrate from the villi to the lamina propria and to activate T-cell proliferation in vivo. In contrast, these abilities of intestinal DCs were enhanced in STC3-infected piglets. In conclusion, our results show that SHXB significantly impaired the functions of Mo-DCs and intestinal DCs in vitro and in vivo, while STC3 had the opposite effect. These differences may underlie the pathogenesis of virulent and attenuated TGEV in piglets, and could help us to develop a better strategy to prevent virulent TGEV infection.