The effects of ryanodine receptor (RYR1) mutation on natural killer cell cytotoxicity, plasma cytokines and stress hormones during acute intermittent exercise in pigs

•We evaluated the effects of RYR1 gene mutation on pigs immune and endocrine measure.•RYR1 gene mutation affects NK cell cytotoxicity, cytokine and stress-related hormones during acute exercise.•There is an association between NK cell cytotoxicity and stress-related hormones during exercise.•Stress-susceptible pigs develop a greater level of NK cytotoxic activity in response to exercise than stress-resistant pigs.

Stress susceptibility has been mapped to a single recessive gene, the ryanodine receptor 1 (RYR1) gene or halothane (Hal) gene. Homozygous (Halnn), mutated pigs are sensitive to halothane and susceptible to Porcine Stress Syndrome (PSS). Previous studies have shown that stress-susceptible RYR1 gene mutated homozygotes in response to restraint stress showed an increase in natural killer cell cytotoxicity (NKCC) accompanied by more pronounced stress-related hormone and anti-inflammatory cytokine changes. In order to determine the relationship of a RYR1 gene mutation with NKCC, plasma cytokines and stress-related hormones following a different stress model - exercise - 36 male pigs (representing different genotypes according to RYR1 gene mutation: NN, homozygous dominant; Nn, heterozygous; nn, homozygous recessive) were submitted to an intermittent treadmill walking. During the entire experiment the greatest level of NKCC and the greatest concentrations of interleukin (IL-) 6, IL-10, IL-12, interferon (IFN-)γ and tumor necrosis factor-α and stress-related hormones (adrenaline, prolactin, beta-endorphin) were observed in nn pigs, and the greatest concentration of IL-1 and growth hormone in NN pigs. Immunostimulatory effects of intermittent exercise on NKCC in nn pigs were concomitant with increases in IL-2, IL-12 and IFN-γ, the potent NKCC activators. Our findings suggest that stress-susceptible pigs RYR1 gene mutated pigs develop a greater level of NKCC and cytokine production in response to exercise stress. These results suggest that the heterogeneity of immunological and neuroendocrine response to exercise stress in pigs could be influenced by RYR1 gene mutation.