Investigation of growth performance and immunomodulatory factors associated with the hepatic gene expression of the insulin-like growth factor system in nursery pigs

• Main Author: Slifierz, Mackenzie
• Other Authors: Friendship, Robert
• Language: en
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: pig; immunology; ADG; IGF; epidemiology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10214/7475

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system is an important determinant of growth in animals and recent findings suggest that immunomodulatory activity may regulate the IGF system independent of nutritional parameters. A cross-sectional study of the hepatic gene expression of the IGF system (IGF-1, IGFBP-3, GHR) and immunomodulatory agents (CRP, Hp, SAA, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, IFN-α, IFN-γ, TNF-α) in nursery pigs (n=168) from 8 farms was completed. Production parameters and swine pathogens (Salmonella spp., L. intracellularis, Brachyspira spp., ETEC, MRSA, SIV, and PRRSV) were also assessed in relation to the IGF system. Hepatic expression of IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and GHR was associated with growth performance and was inversely associated with several immunomodulatory agents including Hp, SAA, IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α. These findings suggest that elevated levels of proinflammatory agents may dysregulate the transcriptional expression of the IGF system in hepatic tissue and consequently affect the growth and metabolism of nursery pigs. === Swine Innovation Porc