AUTHOR=Dervishi E. , Bai X. , Dyck M. K. , Harding J. C. S. , Fortin F. , Dekkers J. C. M. , Plastow G. , ALPHAGENE  , Canada Hypor , Canada Topigs , Genetics Alliance , Genetics Fast , Genetics DNA , Genetics Genesus 

TITLE=GWAS and genetic and phenotypic correlations of plasma metabolites with complete blood count traits in healthy young pigs reveal implications for pig immune response

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-biosciences/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2023.1140375

DOI=10.3389/fmolb.2023.1140375

ISSN=2296-889X

ABSTRACT=This study aimed to estimate genetic and phenotypic correlations between fifteen complete blood count (CBC) traits and thirty-three heritable plasma metabolites in young healthy pigs. In addition, it provided an opportunity to identify candidate genes associated with variation in metabolite concentration and their potential association with immune response, disease resilience, and production traits. The blood samples were collected from healthy pigs and plasma metabolites were quantified using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). CBC was determined using the ADVIA® 2120i Hematology System. Phenotypic correlation estimates of plasma metabolites with CBC traits were generally low. The highest phenotypic correlation was observed between lactic acid and plasma basophil concentration (0.36±0.04; P<0.05). Several significant genetic correlations were found between metabolites and CBC traits. The plasma concentration of proline was genetically positively correlated with hemoglobin concentration (0.94±0.03; P<0.05) and L-tyrosine was negatively correlated with mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH; -0.92±0.74; P<0.05). The genomic regions identified in this study only explained a small percentage of the genetic variance of metabolites levels that were genetically correlated with CBC, resilience, and production traits. However, the results of this systems approach suggest that some plasma metabolite phenotypes collected from healthy nursery pigs are phenotypically and genetically correlated with CBC traits, suggesting that they may be potential genetic indicators of immune response following disease challenge. Genomic analysis revealed genes and pathways that might interact to modulate CBC, resilience, and production traits.