Volume: 5, 2026
5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: A015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.A015
Published online: 22 April 2026
The role of the CD163 gene in susceptibility of pigs to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome
Paweł Grychnik*, Kaja Ziółkowska-Twarowska, Krzysztof Kowal, Angelika Tkaczyk-Wlizło, Athul P. Kurian and Brygida Ślaska
Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 St., 20-950 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: pawel.grychnik@up.edu.pl
The aim of this study is to highlight the significant role of the CD163 gene and the importance of the SRCR5 domain in the process of infection and in pigs’ immunity to the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). PRRS is a highly contagious disease caused by the PRRS virus (PRRSV), which is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus (ssRNA+). The clinical signs of the disease vary depending on the age of the animal. The main symptoms include, above all, pregnancy loss, stillbirths in sows, and respiratory disorders in piglets. Consequently, PRRS is a major cause of significant economic losses in pig production worldwide. Infection occurs via the aerosol routes, respiratory, oral routes, or through reproductive contact. The virus then enters the pig’s cells by interacting with a protein encoded by the CD163 gene, which acts as a receptor on the surface of macrophages. Binding the virus to this receptor enables its internalisation via endocytosis, followed by the release of genetic material into the cell cytoplasm, initiating the infection process. The SRCR5 domain (scavenger receptor cysteine-rich domain 5), located in exon 7, is essential in this process. It has been shown that modification of this domain, involving its deletion or substitution, can effectively confer resistance to PRRSV infection. This strategy represents a promising tool in pig breeding and an example of the practical application of genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 technology in disease prevention in pig production. Furthermore, according to the literature, deletion of the SRCR5 domain does not cause significant side effects in pigs kept under standard farming conditions.
Keywords: PRRS; SRCR5; resistance; swine
How to cite
Grychnik P., Ziółkowska-Twarowska K., Kowal K., Tkaczyk-Wlizło A., Kurian A.P., Ślaska B., 2026. The role of the CD163 gene in susceptibility of pigs to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. In: 5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.A015