Relationship between RNASE1, ANG and RNASE6 gene polymorphism and the values of blood indices in suckling piglets

Abstract

The relationship between PcR-restriction fragment length polymorphism in RNASE1 (296 A/G), ANG (149 G/T) and RNASE6 (389 C/T) genes and the values of haematological and biochemical blood indices was analysed in crossbred suckling piglets (n = 473), aged 21 ± 3 days (younger, n = 274) and 35 ± 3 days (older, n = 199), descending from Polish Large White × Polish Landrace sows and Duroc × Pietrain boars. The observed distribution of all genotypes was consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Anaemia was more common in younger piglets with RNASE1 GA genotype but in the blood of older GA piglets a higher count and percentage of granulocytes were noted. This could be related to the destruction of erythrocytes in younger piglets and enhanced host defence in older ones. ANG gene polymorphism was associated with the severity of iron deficiency in younger piglets. This is supposed to be linked with the different ability to protect immune cells against suppression and degradation during iron deficiency. in older piglets, this mutation differentiated the reactivity of the immune system. Varying levels of iron status and red blood cell indices in RNASE6 genotypes presumably resulted from the coupling of genes involved in iron metabolism and expressed in an age-dependent manner.