The NC229 multi-station research consortium on emerging viral diseases of swine: solving stakeholder problems through innovative science and research

Authors: BENFIELD, DAVID - The Ohio State University; Lunney, Joan; MURTAUGH, MICHAEL - University Of Minnesota; NELSON, ERIC - South Dakota State University; OSORIO, FERNANDO - University Of Nebraska; POGRANICHNIY, ROMAN - Purdue University; RAMAMOORTHY, SHEELA - North Dakota State University; ROWLAND, RAYMOND - Kansas State University; ZIMMERMAN, JEFFREY - Iowa State University; ZUCKERMANN, FEDERICO - University Of Illinois

Submitted to: Virus Research
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2020
Publication Date: 4/15/2020
Citation: Benfield, D., Lunney, J.K., Murtaugh, M., Nelson, E., Osorio, F., Pogranichniy, R., Ramamoorthy, S., Rowland, R.R., Zimmerman, J.J., Zuckermann, F. 2020. The NC229 multi-station research consortium on emerging viral diseases of swine: solving stakeholder problems through innovative science and research. Virus Research. 280:197898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2020.197898.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2020.197898

Interpretive Summary: The NC229 research consortium was created in 1999 in response to the emergence of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), a viral agent responsible for devastating economic losses to the swine industry. The project follows the traditional "consortium" approach for Multistate Agricultural Research driven through the US' State Agricultural Experiment Stations (SAES), wherein stakeholder-driven needs to combat swine infectious diseases are identified and scientific solutions pursued by combining funds from federal, state, commodity groups and the animal health industry. The NC229 consortium was the main driving force in successfully competing for a USDA multi-station Coordinated Agricultural Project (PRRS CAP-I) in 2004-2008, immediately followed by a renewal for 2010-2014 (PRRS CAP-II); resulting in an overall record achievement of almost $10 million dollars. The CAP funding was not only useful for quality research, extension and education in PRRS and related diseases but also instrumental in enabling the group to leverage funding of more than $34 million dollars from the swine industry (National Pork Board), distributed between creative research and extension on PRRS during the last 20 years. The North American/International PRRS Symposium, now recognized by the community as a premier platform for the exchange of basic research findings and fundamental translational technology, is directly derived from the NC229 consortium. Other significant offshoots from NC229 include the PHGC (PRRS Host Genomic Consortium), a solid foundation for discoveries on the role of host genetics during PRRSV infection since 2007. Since 2009 the NC229 consortium has expanded its collective research interests beyond PRRSV other 9 emerging viral diseases of swine. In the current project (2019-2024), African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) retains a central focus with the goal of harnessing the group's expertise in promoting preparedness for the global control of ASFV.

Technical Abstract: A thorough understanding of porcine immunity is essential for a safe and secure food supply, to prevent and treat infectious diseases, and develop effective vaccines and therapeutics. Here we have assembled a comprehensive resource for porcine immunologists and members of human biomedical community, providing documentation of known pig cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. Through extensive analysis of the porcine genome and transcriptome we have verified expressed genes and pseudogenes as well as genes missing in the pig genome. Furthermore, we have listed expressed cloned proteins, antibodies reactive with each gene product and noted their reactivity to identify protein expression or assay bioactivity. Despite the progress to date, much more work needs to be done. A fully annotated genome build is an essential basic need. Review of our tables verifies that there are many cytokines, chemokines and growth factors for which needed reagents are missing. Overall, there has been major progress in understanding pig immunity and development using current tools, however, there are still numerous opportunities to improve the swine immune toolkit.