Age-related increase of porcine natural interferon α producing cell frequency and of interferon yield per cell

Porcine blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were shown to secrete interferon α (IFN-α) after induction by a coronavirus, the transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV). IFN-α producing cells, referred to as natural interferon α producing (NIP) cells, were detected by an ELISPOT assay using anti-porcine IFN-α monoclonal antibodies. The frequency of NIP cells among blood cells is low, at most 40–110 per 10(5) PBMC and each NIP cell was found to produce several units of IFN. We have shown that NIP cell frequency and IFN yield per cell gradually increased with the age of the donor animals, from the neonatal period to the adult age, with a significant increase around puberty. Our present results also indicate that NIP cells may be influenced by physiological and genetic factors; thus (1) NIP cell frequency and IFN yield per cell were decreased during lactation; (2) Chinese (Meishan) pigs were found to have higher NIP cell frequency and IFN yield per cell than European (Large White) animals.