Changes in macrophages in spleen and lymph nodes during acute African swine fever: expression of cytokines

To gain further insight into the pathogenesis of African swine fever (ASF), the cytokine expression by macrophages in spleen and lymph nodes were examined. Twenty-one piglets were inoculated with the highly virulent isolate Spain-70 of ASF virus and killed in groups at 1–7 post-inoculation days (pid). An increase in the immunohistochemical detection of proinflammatory monokines in spleen and renal and gastrohepatic lymph nodes is reported, along with an increase in the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β. The expression of these cytokines is detected simultaneously in time and space with the viral protein 73 (vp73) of the ASF virus detection. Our results demonstrate that mononuclear phagocyte system cell activation results in the release of several cytokines that could induce apoptosis of lymphocytes and haemodynamic changes.