Toll-like receptor expressions in porcine alveolar macrophages and dendritic cells in responding to poly IC stimulation and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection

Antigen-presenting cells play critical roles in recognizing, presenting and processing antigens and consequently induce adequate immune response for defending infections. The immature DCs (imDCs) and mature DCs (mDCs) were obtained from in vitro differentiation of bone marrow haematopoietic cells. Results showed that poly IC stimulation down-regulated the expressions of TLR7 and TLR8 in alveolar macrophages (AMs) and imDCs. The release of IL-12 was inhibited from imDCs and mDCs in response to poly IC. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)-infection inhibited TLR3 and TLR7 expressions in AMs and imDCs at 6 h post-infection (PI); both of expressions were then restored at 24 h PI in both types of cells while they exhibited up-regulated IL-10 and IL-12 expression at 24 h PI. Hence, the differential TLR expression patterns in porcine AMs and DCs in discrimination of the imitated viral dsRNA or PRRSV infection may determine their cytokine expressions and thus affect the resulting immune responses. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.