Overexpression of Porcine Beta-Defensin 2 Enhances Resistance to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Infection in Pigs.

Abstract

To reduce the need for antibiotics in animal production, alternative approaches are needed to control infection. We hypothesized that overexpression of native defensin genes will provide food animals with enhanced resistance to bacterial infections. In this study, recombinant porcine beta-defensin 2 (PBD-2) was overexpressed in stably transfected PK-15 porcine kidney cells. PBD-2 antibacterial activities against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, an important respiratory pathogen causing porcine contagious pleuropneumonia, were evaluated on agar plates. Transgenic pigs constitutively overexpressing PBD-2 were produced by a somatic cell cloning method, and their resistance to bacterial infection was evaluated by direct or cohabitation infection with A. pleuropneumoniae. Recombinant PBD-2 peptide that was overexpressed in the PK-15 cells showed antibacterial activity against A. pleuropneumoniae. PBD-2 was overexpressed in the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and jejunum of the transgenic pigs, which showed significantly lower bacterial loads in the lungs and reduced lung lesions after direct or cohabitation infection with A. pleuropneumoniae. The results demonstrate that transgenic overexpression of PBD-2 in pigs confers enhanced resistance against A. pleuropneumoniae infection.

• Authors: Xi Yang, Yu-Ting Cheng, Mei-Fang Tan, Hua-Wei Zhang, Wan-Quan Liu, Geng Zou, Liang-Sheng Zhang, Chun-Yan Zhang, Si-Min Deng, Lei Yu, Xue-Ying Hu, Lu Li, Rui Zhou
• Journal: Infection and immunity (Infect Immun) Vol. 83 Issue 7 Pg. 2836-43 (Jul 2015) ISSN: 1098-5522 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25916992 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Chemical References

• beta-Defensins

Topics

• Actinobacillus Infections (immunology, prevention & control)
• Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (immunology)
• Animals
• Animals, Genetically Modified
• Bacterial Load
• Cell Line
• Disease Resistance
• Gene Expression
• Lung (microbiology)
• Male
• Swine
• Swine Diseases (immunology, prevention & control)
• beta-Defensins (biosynthesis)