Cytokine Production by Porcine Mononuclear Leukocytes Stimulated by Mitogens

G. Ra‰kova, F. KovafiU, J. Bartova: Cytokine Production by Porcine Mononuclear Leukocytes Stimulated by Mitogens. Acta Vet. Brno 2005, 74: 521-525. The aim of the study was to contribute to the understanding of the postnatal development of the immune system in domestic pigs by studying in vitro cytokine production by mononuclear leukocytes stimulated with pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and concanavalin A (ConA). The production of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interferon γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) was evaluated. The mitogenic effect was studied in cultures of two different cell concentrations (1×10 5 /ml and 2×10 5 /ml) and assessed by the ELISpot method. The stimulatory effect was detected in IL-1β-secreting cells after exposure to PWM (stimulation index, 6.15 and 5.42, for 1×105/ml and 2×10 5 /ml, respectively) and to ConA (stimulation index, 2.12 and 2.63, for 1×10 5 /ml and 2×10 5 /ml, respectively). IFN-γ-secreting cells at the concentration of 1×105 cells/ml responded to PWM to a low degree (stimulation index, 1.9). ConA alone or combined with PWM had no stimulatory effect on either IFN-γ- or TNF-α-secreting cells, as compared with the controls. It can be concluded that the porcine immune system at 60 days postnatally is mature enough to be able to selectively control the response of cytokine producing cells to mitogenic stimulation.