Original scientific paper

Effects of weaning on polymorphonuclear cells phagocytic activity, lymphocyte proliferation and serum IgA-concentration in foals

Anas Sarwar ; Department of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Verena Budde ; Institute of Anatomy, Physiology and Hygiene of Domestic Animals, Bonn University, Germany
Heinrich Enbergs ; Institute of Anatomy, Physiology and Hygiene of Domestic Animals, Bonn University, Germany

Abstract

Eighty-four foals (46 females; 38 males) of different breeds (Thoroughbreds, Standardbred, German Warmbloods), aged 5-6 months, were used in this study to evaluate the effects of weaning and other influencing factors like gender, breed and serum cortisol content on polymorphonuclear cells (PMNC) phagocytic activity, mitogeninduced lymphocyte proliferation and serum IgA-concentration. PMN phagocytic activity was measured
by the luminal-dependent chemiluminescence, lymphocyte proliferation rate by MTT-test and serum IgA-level by radial immunodiffusion. PMNC phagocytic activity ranged between 4500-6000 cpm/μL in weanling foals. Despite a slight increase in the beginning, PMNC phagocytic activity clearly declined (P<0.01) the next day to weaning and thereafter, rose again. Lymphocyte proliferation showed a marked rise after first day of the study and then remained unaltered until the end of study except for a minor depression following weaning. Weaning induced a slight but not significant rise in serum IgA-concentrations. Among other variables, breed had a major influence on PMNC phagocytic activity and serum IgA-concentration. This may be a real influence of breed or one of stud farm/management. Interestingly, serum cortisol content did not show a correlation with any of the parameters studied. It is conceivable that weaning has a suppressive effect on the phagocytic activity of
PMNC.

Keywords

foals; weaning; lymphocyte proliferation; phagocytic activity; serum; IgA

Hrčak ID:

24243

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/24243

Publication date:

20.2.2008.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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