Analysis of porcine MHC expression profile

The porcine major histocompatibility complex (MHC, also named swine leukocyte antigen, SLA) is associated not only with immune responsibility and disease susceptibility, but also with some reproductive and productive traits such as growth rate and carcass composition. As yet systematical research on SLA expression profile is not reported. In order to illustrate SLA expression comprehensively and deepen our understanding of its function, we outlined the expression profile of SLA in 51 tissues of Landrace by analyzing a large amount of ESTs produced by "Sino-Danish Porcine Genome Project". In addition, we also compared the expression profile of SLA in several tissues from different development stages and from another breed (Erhualian). The result shows: (i) classical SLA genes are highly expressed in immune tissues and middle part of intestine; (ii) although SLA-3 is an SLA Ia gene, its expression abundance and pattern are quite different from those of the other two SLA Ia genes. The same phenomenon is seen in HLA-C expression, suggesting that the two genes may function similarly and undergo convergent evolution; (iii) except in jejunum, the antigen presenting genes are more highly expressed in breed Erhualian than in Landrace. The difference might associate with the higher resistance to bad conditions (including pathogens) of Erhualian and higher growth rates of Landrace.