Cytokine mRNA expression in experimental porcine pneumonia.

A porcine Pasteurella multocida (P. m.) infection model was established to study the spatial distribution of cytokine mRNA-expressing cells in lung tissue during acute pneumonia. The mRNA detection was performed by non-radioactive, formamide-free in situ hybridization (ISH) using oligonucleotides against the porcine interleukins (IL): IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, TNF alpha and TGF beta. Cytokine mRNA-expressing macrophages were demonstrated by a double staining procedure combining immunohistochemistry (IH) using the primary antibody 2G6 with IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TGF beta ISH. With the exception of some stained TNF alpha-expressing cells, no IL mRNA was detectable in the lung of unaffected animals. The experimental P. m. pneumonia was characterized by a predominant, exudative and an additional proliferative interstitial component as well as abscess formation in the lung. Many cells of the region between the abscess membrane and the affected lung area showed high IL-6, IL-1 beta, IL-4 as well as TGF beta and few cells low IL-8 mRNA expression with characteristic distribution patterns. The ISH/IH double staining procedure revealed that at least some of the IL-6 or TGF beta-producing cells belonged to the 2G6-positive macrophages.