Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Virus and Prion Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #336292
Title: Potential use of G-CSF for protection against Streptococcus suis infection in swine

Author
item Brockmeier, Susan
item Loving, Crystal
item Kehrli Jr, Marcus
item EBERLE, K - Orise Fellow
item HAU, S - Iowa State University
item MOU, K - Orise Fellow
item Nicholson, Tracy

Submitted to: Conference Research Workers Disease Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/4/2016
Publication Date: 12/4/2016
Citation: Brockmeier, S., Loving, C.L., Kehrli Jr, M.E., Eberle, K.C., Hau, S.J., Mou, K.T., Nicholson, T.L. 2016. Potential use of G-CSF for protection against Streptococcus suis infection in swine. Conference Research Workers Disease Meeting. Paper No. P65.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The use of immunomodulators is a promising alternative to the use of antibiotics for therapeutic, prophylactic, and metaphylactic use to prevent and combat infectious disease. We developed a replication-defective adenovirus vector that expresses porcine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for delivery to pigs. G-CSF enhances neutrophil production and release from the bone marrow, which could improve bacterial clearance especially at times of immunosuppression such as during the stress of weaning. A pegylated bovine version (ImrestorTM, Elanco) was recently approved by the FDA for the reduction of mastitis in periparturient cows. Intramuscular administration of the vector expressing porcine G-CSF was found to elicit a sustained neutrophilia, lasting nearly 3 weeks. In a pilot study using G-CSF with a Streptococcus suis challenge, only 1 of 4 pigs given G-CSF developed disease, while 3 of 4 non-treated pigs developed Streptococcal disease. A larger study is being conducted to determine the reproducibility of these results. Thus, it is possible to deliver G-CSF to pigs for a sustained increase in circulating neutrophil numbers, which may be a useful alternative to antibiotics for prevention of infectious disease, especially during times of stress and pathogen exposure such as post-weaning and post-partum.