ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
NATIONAL RESEARCH SUPPORT PROJECT - NRSP-8
Year Ending 2002

Joan K. Lunney
Immunology and Disease Resistance Laboratory (IDRL)
ANRI, BARC, ARS, USDA

I. PROJECT TITLE:

National Animal Genome Research Program (NAGRP)

II. COOPERATING AGENCIES AND PRINCIPAL LEADERS:

USDA BARC Personnel

Sandra Nishi, Graduate Student, IDRL, ANRI
Harry Dawson, Joseph F. Urban, Jr., Ethiopia Beshah and
Gloria Solano-Aguilar, Nutrient Requirements & Functions Lab, Beltsville Human, Nutrition Research Center Collaborators at other Institutions
Gregory W Martens and Douglas M Smith, Pathology Department, Transplant
Immunology Lab, Baylor University Medical Center,

III. Objectives

Objective 1: Develop high resolution comparative genome maps aligned across species that link agricultural animal maps.

Objective 2: Increase the marker density of existing linkage maps used in QTL mapping and integrate them with physical maps of animal chromosomes.

Objective 3: Expand and enhance internationally shared species genome databases and provide other common resources that facilitate genome mapping.

III. NATURE OF WORK AND PRINCIPAL RESULTS OF YEAR:

A. Objective 1: Develop new molecular typing assays for Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) or Swine Leukocyte Antigen (SLA) haplotypes

B. Objective 2: Increase marker density of existing linkage maps used in QTL mapping and integrate them with physical maps of animal chromosomes.

Develop real-time expression assays for panel of immune markers know to control vaccine and disease immunity (Table lists genes targeted). Established T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 immunity patterns in parasite infected pigs; Toxoplasma gondii, induced Th1 immunity was compared Th2 immunity resulting from infection with Ascaris suum.

Th1 immunityTh2 immunityT regulatory/InflammatoryOthers
IFNA,, IFNG, IL12p35,p40, IL12RB2, IL15, IL18, IL23, TNFA, INOS, STAT4 IL4, IL13, IL4RA, IL13RA1, IL5, STAT6, MC, Tryptase TGFB1,2,3, IL6, IL1A, IL8, IL2, IL10 IgM, IgG, GMCSF, IgE, IgA, CD3E, Ig, J-chain, HPRT, RPL32

C. Objective 3: Expand and enhance internationally shared species genome databases and provide other common resources that facilitate genome mapping.

No research

IV. APPLICATION OF FINDINGS:

A. Objective 1

Expand tools to identify relevant SLA polymorphism and effects on immune gene expression

B. Objective 2

Provides means to study expression and function of additional immune genes in normal breeding populations to identify early responders which might be more disease resistant/susceptible.

V. WORK PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR:

A. Objective 1

Further sequencing of SLA molecules by collaborators. B. Objective 2

The BARC team of scientists will be developing a broader panel of real-time PCR assays for immune and nutrition markers to track swine immune response gene expression.

VI. PUBLICATIONS:

Lunney JK, Fossum C, Alm GV, Steinbach F, Wattrang E. 2002. Veterinary immunology: opportunities and challenges. Trends Immunol. 23: 4-6.

Solano-Aguilar, G.I., Zarlenga, D., Beshah, E., Vengroski, K, Gasbarre, L., Junker, D., Cochran, M., Weston, C., Valencia, D., Chiang, C., Dawson H, Urban J, and Lunney, J.K. 2002. Limited effect of recombinant porcine Interleukin-12 on porcine lymphocytes due to a low expression of IL-12b2 receptor. Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol. 89: 133-148.

Solano-Aguilar, G.I., Galina, L., Douglass, L.W., and Lunney, J.K. 2002. Developmental immunity in neonatal pigs monitored by the function of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Proc. 17th Cong. Intnl. Pig Vet. Soc., Iowa. Vol. 1, p.259.

G W Martens, J K Lunney, J E Baker, D M Smith. Rapid Assignment of Swine Leukocyte Antigen (SLA) Haplotypes in Pedigreed Herds using a Polymerase Chain Reaction Based Assay. Submitted.

Solano-Aguilar, G.I., Galina, L., Douglass, L.W., and Lunney, J.K. 2002. Developmental immunity in neonatal pigs monitored by the function of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Proc. 17th Cong. Intnl. Pig Vet. Soc., Iowa. Vol. 1, p.259.

Dawson, H., Beshah, E., Nishi, S., Lunney J.K., Urban, J.F. 2002. Development of real time RT-PCR assays for porcine cytokine gene expression. 2002. Proceedings Experimental Biology 2002. Abstract. P.182.