Pig Immunology Cognition as a Prerequisite to Maintaining Pig Health: A Review

Abstract

The review highlights pig immunology as essential for maintaining good health and welfare in pigs. The innate immune system includes physical barriers and immune cells such as neutrophils and macrophages, while adaptive immunity involves B and T cells, along with dendritic cells. Pigs’ cells develop memory immune responses, enabling a quicker and more effective defense when re-exposed to specific pathogens, initiating an antibody and antigen response. Pigs’ immune system is a complex mechanism and similar to that of humans, with innate and adaptive responses working synergistically to protect against pathogens. Immune response genes in pigs play important roles in disease resistance. The key genes are: Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), for example, Swine Leukocyte Antigen (SLA) in pigs. The Cytokine genes, such as interleukins and interferons, and pattern recognition receptors (Toll-like receptors). These genes are important for disease resistance, vaccine development, and breeding programs, where selection for favourable immune responses can enhance the overall health of pigs. Macrophages and dendritic cells play a major role
in linking the innate and adaptive immune responses. They are specialized antigen-presenting cells equipped with a wide range of pathogen-recognition receptors that identify conserved microbial molecular markers, known as pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Knowledge in pig immunology ultimately enhances overall health and productivity. Identifying genes that control immunity in pigs can assist in selecting animals with quicker responses to disease challenges and aid in vaccine development against economically important diseases that affect productivity, increase production costs and constrain livestock management, including antigenic restrictions on species and breed selection.