IL-12p40 gene expression in lung and hilar lymph nodes of MPS resistant pigs

Mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS) is caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M.hp) and is a common chronic respiratory disease of pigs. Recently, a genetically selected variant of the Landrace pig (Miyagino L2) has been shown to have a lower incidence of pulmonary MPS lesions. We investigated the pathological and immunological characteristics of this MPS resistance in these pigs (n = 24) by comparing the pathological lung regions, the level of M.hp antigens and the gene expression of cytokines with those of the normal landrace pig (control: n = 24). The pathological MPS lung lesion score in MPS-selected landrace pigs was significantly lower than that in the control. The gene expression of interleukin (IL)-12p40, as which acts as a chemoattractant and a component of the bioactive cytokines IL-12 and IL-23, was significantly higher at the hilar lymph nodes, lung, and spleen in MPS-selected landrace pigs than in control landrace pigs, and these were negatively correlated with the macroscopic MPS lung lesion score. In summary, we demonstrate that resistance against MPS in Miyagino L2 pigs is associated with IL-12p40 up-regulation, in comparison with normal landrace pigs without the MPS vaccine. In addition, a comparative study of macroscopic MPS lung lesions and IL-12p40 gene expression in lung and hilar lymph nodes may lead to beneficial selection traits for the genetic selection for MPS resistance in pigs.