Abstract
The aim of the work was to evaluate if genetic selection for daily gain may affect the immune system. Two experiments were performed. The first one involved 80 rabbit females and their first two litters to explore the effect of selection on the ability of animals to maintain immune competence. Two generations from a line selected for average daily gain (ADG) were evaluated (VR19 generation 19th, n = 43; VR37 generation 37th, n = 37). In females, the effect of selection and its interaction with physiological state were not significant for any trait. In litters, the selection criterion increased the granulocyte to lymphocyte ratio. The second experiment involved 73 19-week-old females (VR19, n = 39; VR37, n = 34) to explore the effect of genetic selection on immune response after S. aureus infection. The VR37 rabbit females had lower counts for total lymphocytes, CD5+, CD4+, CD8+, CD25+, monocytes, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio and platelets than those of VR19 (-14, -21, -25, -15, -33, -18, -11 and -11%, respectively; P < 0.05). VR37 had less erythema (-8.4 percentage points; P < 0.05), fewer nodules (-6.5 percentage points; P < 0.05) and a smaller nodule size (-0.65 cm3 on 7 day post-inoculation; P < 0.05) compared to VR19. Our study suggests that genetic selection for average daily gain does not negatively affect the maintenance of a competent immune system or the ability to establish immune response. It seems that such selection may improve the response to S. aureus infections.
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Abbreviations
- ADG:
-
Average daily gain
- CFU:
-
Colony-forming units
- dpi:
-
Days post-infection
- DPBS:
-
Dulbecco's Phosphate-Buffered Saline suspension (Sigma-Aldrich®)
- 1IA:
-
First artificial insemination
- 1P:
-
First parturition
- 1W:
-
First weaning
- HCT:
-
Haematocrit
- HGB:
-
Haemoglobin
- L:
-
Length
- mAbs:
-
Monoclonal antibodies
- PBS:
-
Phosphate-buffered saline
- PLT:
-
Platelets
- PMN:
-
Polymorphonuclear leucocytes
- RBC:
-
Red blood cell count
- RC:
-
Reproductive cycle
- 2P:
-
Second parturition
- 2W:
-
Second weaning
- V:
-
Volume
- WBC:
-
White blood cells
- W:
-
Width
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Juan Carlos Moreno for his technical support.
Funding
This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) (PID2020-117897RB-I00) and the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera. Fellowships support Sara Pérez-Fuentes from the Generalitat Valenciana (grant number ACIF/2016/085) and Elena Moreno from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (grant number FPU17/02708).
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JMC, JJP, DV and LS designed the experiment and got the funding. EMP and PJMC raised the animals prepare them for the experiments and got the blood samples. EMG and SPF obtained cytometry data and evaluated infections. AAB performed the statistical analysis, coordinated the approach of the paper and elaborated the first draft of the work. All authors read all the drafts, contributed to the submitted version and approved the final manuscript.
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The experimental protocols were approved by the Animal Welfare Ethics Committee of the Universitat Politècnica de València (authorisation code: 2018/VSC/PEA/0116) and the Ethical Committee of the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, and by the Conselleria d’Agricultura, Pesca i Alimentació, Generalitat Valenciana (permit numbers 2011/010 and 2017/VSC/PEA/00192; approval date: 20 January 2011). All the animals were handled according to the principles of animal care published by Spanish Royal Decree 1201/2005 (BOE, 2005; BOE = Official Spanish State Gazette).
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11259_2023_10110_MOESM1_ESM.docx
In this table, P-Values for the effects for each evaluated trait from macroscopic lesions are presented. The effect of group was significant for the presence of erythema and nodule. The effect of strain was significant for all the traits. The effect of DPI was significant for the presence of erythema. Interaction between group and strain was significant in all the traits. Interaction between strain and DPI was significant for the area of the erythema and volume of nodule. Interaction between group and DPI was significant for all the traits except for presence of erythema and nodule (DOCX 22 kb)
11259_2023_10110_Fig4_ESM.png
Effect of strain (Jwt, Jrot+) and day post-inoculation (1–7) on erythema area and nodule volume. LS-means and standard errors. The area of the erythema and the volume of the nodule was lower in infections coming from inoculations with Jrtot+ than those observed in infections coming from inoculations with JWT. These results denoted a lower virulence of Jrot+ (PNG 96 kb)
11259_2023_10110_Fig5_ESM.png
Effect of strain (Jwt, Jrot+) and day post-inoculation (1–7) on the presence of dermonecrosis and ulceration. The presence of the erythema and the nodule was lower in infections coming from inoculations with Jrtot+ than those observed in infections coming from inoculations with JWT. These results denoted a lower virulence of Jrot+ (PNG 83 kb)
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Moreno-Grua, E., Pérez-Fuentes, S., Viana, D. et al. Effect of selection for growth rate on the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) immune system and its response after experimental Staphylococcus aureus infection. Vet Res Commun 47, 1547–1560 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-023-10110-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-023-10110-4