Mechanism of transepithelial migration of lymphocytes into the milk in porcine mammary glands.

Lymphocytes in the colostrum play many important roles during lactation, including protecting newborn piglets against infections. The lymphocytes constantly enter the mammary gland from the mother's bloodstream before and during lactation. However, little is known about the mechanism of transport of maternal lymphocytes across the mammary glands into the milk (lumen). In this study, the maternal lymphocytes were detected in sow colostrum by immunofluorescent staining and fluorescence-activated cell sorting and lymphocytes were observed transmigrating into the breast acinar lumen. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining revealed that CD3+ T, γδ+ T, and IgA+ B cells were primarily located at the base area of the mammary gland. Meanwhile, more lactating alveoli and blood capillaries were distributed in this area. Finally, a mammary epithelial cell (EpH4-Ev)/T cell co-culture system was established to explore the mechanism of lymphocyte transmigration across the mammary epithelial cells. The expression of CCL2 and CCL28 in EpH4-Ev cells, which facilitated the transmigration of lymphocytes, significantly increased in the presence of prolactin. Our results provide a better understanding of the concept of lactogenic immunity and pave the way for vaccination strategies for the induction of lactogenic immunity in pregnant swine.

The effect of maternal antibodies on the cellular immune response after infant vaccination: A review.

During the last few decades, maternal immunization as a strategy to protect young infants from infectious diseases has been increasingly recommended, yet some issues have emerged. Studies have shown that for several vaccines, such as live attenuated, toxoid and conjugated vaccines, high maternal antibody titers inhibit the infant's humoral immune response after infant vaccination. However, it is not clear whether this decreased antibody titer has any clinical impact on the infant's protection, as the cellular immune responses are often equally important in providing disease protection and may therefore compensate for diminished antibody levels. Reports describing the effect of maternal antibodies on the cellular immune response after infant vaccination are scarce, probably because such studies are expensive, labor intensive and utilize poorly standardized laboratory techniques. Therefore, this review aims to shed light on what is currently known about the cellular immune responses after infant vaccination in the presence of high (maternal) antibody titers both in animal and human studies. Overall, the findings suggest that maternally derived antibodies do not interfere with the cellular immune responses after infant vaccination. However, more research in humans is clearly needed, as most data originate from animal studies.

Effect of butyrate on passive transfer of immunity in dairy calves.

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of supplemental butyrate on (1) Ig production in dams and (2) Ig absorption in their calves. Twenty dry dams fed a close-up total mixed ration were assigned to either a control treatment (CTRL-D) or a butyrate treatment where the close-up total mixed ration was supplemented with butyrate at 1% of dry matter intake (wt/wt; BUT-D). At calving, calves were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: a control group fed colostrum replacer only (CTRL-C) and a butyrate group fed colostrum replacer with supplemental butyrate at 2.5% (wt/vol; BUT-C). Serum IgG, glucose, and ß-hydroxybutyrate were measured weekly in both dams and calves. Additionally, calves were weighed weekly to determine average daily gain. In dams, serum IgG concentration was not different between CTRL-D and BUT-D (1,785 ± 117 vs. 1,736 ± 137 mg/dL, respectively), nor was there a change in Ig levels in the colostrum between control and butyrate groups. Serum total protein did not differ between CTRL-D and BUT-D dams. Dam dry matter intake did not differ between CTRL-D and BUT-D but did decrease 1 wk before parturition. Compared with CTRL-C calves, BUT-C calves had significantly decreased serum IgG concentration at 24 h (2,110 ± 124 vs. 1,400 ± 115 mg/dL), wk 1 (1,397 ± 121 vs. 866 ± 115 mg/dL), and wk 2 (1,310 ± 121 vs. 797 ± 115 mg/dL). Additionally, apparent efficiency of absorption was lower for the BUT-C group compared with the CTRL-C group (35.3 ± 2.1 vs. 25.9 ± 2.0). Differences in serum Ig concentrations between the CTRL-C and BUT-C groups did not affect average daily gain (0.59 ± 0.05 vs. 0.48 ± 0.05 kg/d, respectively), serum glucose concentrations, or serum ß-hydroxybutyrate concentrations. These data demonstrate that butyrate inclusion in colostrum negatively affects IgG absorption in newborn calves, whereas calf body weight gains were unaffected.

Maternal immunization with a DNA vaccine candidate elicits specific passive protection against post-natal Zika virus infection in immunocompetent BALB/c mice.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is closely associated in the fetus with microcephaly and in the adults with Guillain-Barré syndrome and even male infertility. It is an urgent international priority to develop a safe and effective vaccine that offers protection to both women of childbearing age and their children. In this study, female immunocompetent BALB/c mice were immunized with a DNA-based vaccine candidate, pVAX1-ZME, expressing the prM/E protein of ZIKV, and the immunogenicity for maternal mice and the post-natal protection for suckling mice were evaluated. It was found that administration with three doses of 50 µg pVAX1-ZME via in vivo electroporation induced robust ZIKV-specific cellular and long-term humoral immune responses with high and sustained neutralizing activity in adult mice. Moreover, using a maternal immunization protocol, neutralizing antibodies provided specific passive protection against ZIKV infection in neonatal mice and effectively inhibited the growth delay. This vaccine candidate is expected to be further evaluated in higher animals, and maternal vaccination shows great promise for protecting both women of childbearing age and their offspring against post-natal ZIKV infection. The vaccinated mothers and ZIKV-challenged pups provide key insight into Zika vaccine evaluation in an available fully immunocompetent animal model.

Combination Effects of Organic and Inorganic Chromium on Production Performance, Reproductive Response, Immune Status, and Maternal Antibody Transmission in Breeder Quails Under Heat Stress.

This experiment was carried out to investigate the combination effects of organic and inorganic chromium (Cr) on egg production, egg quality, reproductive response, and immune status of breeder quails and their offspring under heat stress. A total of 140 7-week-old Japanese breeder quails (120 females and 20 males) according to a completely randomized design were used in four treatment groups (five replicate and seven birds per each) lasted for 8 weeks. Quails exposed to 35 °C for 8 h/day for induction of cyclic heat stress treatments consisted of diets supplemented with (1) 1 mg CrCl3 per kilogram of diet as control (CNT); (2) 1 mg Cr-L-Met per kilogram of diet as organic Cr (OCr); (3) 0.5 mg CrCl3 plus 0.5 mg Cr-L-Met per kilogram of diet (ISO); (4) 1 mg CrCl3 plus 0.5 mg Cr-L-Met per kilogram of diet (On-top). Productive performance and egg quality parameters were determined weekly. Fertility, hatchability, and embryonic mortality were measured at the end of experiment. Humoral immunity was assessed by primary and secondary antibody titer in sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and Newcastle disease (ND) tests. Cell-mediated immunity was assessed by the cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity (CBH) test to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) at days 20 and 45 of age. White blood cell count and immunoglobulin Y (IgY) content in serum and yolk of breeders and in serum and yolk residues of offspring were also measured. Results showed that maximum egg production, egg shell thickness, and Haugh unit were observed in birds fed ISO and On-top diets (P ≤ 0.05). The highest (P ≤ 0.05) antibody levels in ND test were observed in birds fed with OCr, ISO, and On-top diets. The highest cellular response (P ≤ 0.05) was in 12 h after primary PHA injection and 12 and 24 h after secondary PHA injection in birds fed with On-top diets. The highest count of heterophil and (H/L) were gained in breeder quails fed with CNT diet, and the lowest of them were reached with On-top diet (P ≤ 0.05). Results showed that the highest IgY level in serum of breeder and their offspring and that of yolk suck and egg yolk were observed in birds fed with On-top diet (P ≤ 0.05). These results suggest that extra supplemental organic Cr in combination with CrCl3 could lead to higher egg production, egg quality, and immune status of breeder quails and their offspring.

Trace Metals Affect Early Maternal Transfer of Immune Components in the Feral Pigeon.

Maternal early transfers of immune components influence eggs' hatching probability and nestlings' survival. They depend on females' own immunity and, because they are costly, on their physiological state. Therefore, trace metals, whether toxic and immunosuppressive (e.g., lead, cadmium, etc.) or necessary and immunostimulant (e.g., zinc, copper, iron, etc.), are likely to affect the amount of immune components transferred into the eggs. It may also vary with plumage eumelanin level, which is known to be linked to immunity, to transfer of antibodies, and to metal detoxification. In feral pigeons (Columba livia) injected with an antigen and experimentally exposed to lead and/or zinc (two highly abundant trace metals in urban areas), we measured specific antibody transfer and concentrations of two antimicrobial proteins (lysozyme and ovotransferrin) in eggs. As expected, lead had negative effects on specific antibody transfer, while zinc positively affected lysozyme egg concentrations. Moreover, eggs from lead-exposed females exhibited higher ovotransferrin concentrations; because it binds metal ions, ovotransferrin may enable egg detoxification and embryo protection. Finally, eggs' lysozyme concentrations increased with plumage darkness of females not exposed to zinc, while the relation was opposite among zinc-exposed females, suggesting that benefits and costs of plumage melanism depend on trace metal environmental levels. Overall, our study underlines the potential ecotoxicological effects of trace metals on maternal transfers of immune components and the role of plumage melanism in modulating these effects.

Experimental study on the effect of oral meloxicam administration in sows on pre-weaning mortality and growth and immunoglobulin G transfer to piglets.

Parturation is an intrinsically risky and painful process for both the sow and the piglets that can cause welfare and economic problems. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been demonstrated to partially alleviate inflammation and pain after farrowing in sows. NSAIDs effects on piglet mortality and performance show discrepancies and no previous studies have investigated the underlying mechanism. The effects of oral meloxicam treatment to sows on immunoglobulin G (IgG) transfer to piglets around farrowing were investigated. A total of 30 multiparous sows were randomly treated with either oral meloxicam or a mock administration as control group. Treatment was administered as soon as possible at the beginning of the farrowing. A total of 325 piglets were individually weighed at farrowing (day 0) and at weaning (day +21) and piglet mortality was registered during lactation. Four piglets per sow (two piglets suckling from anterior teats and two piglets suckling from posterior teats) were selected for blood sampling at day +1, day +2 and day +20 for IgG analyses. Oral meloxicam treatment to sows significantly increased weight at weaning (mean±SE: 6563±86.3g from oral meloxicam group and 6145±103.2g from control group; P=0.0017) and ADG (mean±SE: 236±3.4g/day from oral meloxicam group and 217±4.5g/day from control group; P<0.001) during lactation, but failed to reduce piglet mortality during lactation (6.7% from oral meloxicam group and 6.8% from control group; P=0.89). IgG levels in piglets from the sows treated with oral meloxicam were significantly higher than the control group at day +1 (mean; median [95% CI] for median=31.9; 31.7 [29.6-33.6] vs. 27.9; 26.8 [25.9-28.3] mg/ml, P=0.0013) and day +2 (27.6; 27.0 [24.8-29.6] vs. 24.5; 24.2 [22.1-25.3] mg/ml, P=0.01). However, at day +20, IgG level in piglet serum was not significantly affected by the treatment (7.6; 7.6 [6.7-8.4] vs. 7.1; 6.9 [6.4-7.3] mg/ml, P=0.59). The administration of meloxicam orally at the beginning of the farrowing in multiparous sows increased the concentration of IgG in serum of piglets and enhanced their pre-weaning growth. Future research is warranted to clearly identify the proximate mechanism behind IgG effect.

Respiratory syncytial virus in infants: is maternal vaccination a realistic strategy?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains an important cause of serious and sometimes fatal acute lower respiratory tract disease in infants, yet no effective antiviral treatment or vaccine for the prevention of RSV in early life is available. Vaccination of women during pregnancy is considered to be the most plausible strategy to provide direct RSV antibody protection to young infants during a period of greatest vulnerability. RECENT FINDINGS: Interest in the development of RSV vaccines for immunization of women during pregnancy is high. Numerous studies are underway to better understand the epidemiology and impact of RSV disease in pregnant women and infants, as well as the role of maternal antibodies in the protection of infants against early and severe RSV disease, to identify and measure serologic correlates of protection to RSV in infants and develop well tolerated and immunogenic RSV vaccines for pregnant women. SUMMARY: Studies of RSV vaccination in pregnancy are in progress, making maternal vaccination a realistic intervention for the protection of young infants against RSV disease in the near future. Maternal immunization with an immunogenic vaccine has the potential to substantially impact the morbidity and mortality of RSV-associated lower respiratory tract illness in infants worldwide.

Maternal Antiasthma Simplified Herbal Medicine Intervention therapy prevents airway inflammation and modulates pulmonary innate immune responses in young offspring mice.

BACKGROUND: Maternal asthma is a risk factor for asthma in offspring; however, transmission of the risk for allergic asthma without direct offspring sensitization has not been explored. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether offspring from mothers with ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized asthma would develop airway disease at first-ever exposure to OVA and whether preconception maternal treatment with the Antiasthma Simplified Herbal Medicine Intervention (ASHMI) or dexamethasone (DEX) could modify this risk in offspring. METHODS: Female BALB/c mice (F0) with OVA-induced asthma were generated using established protocols. Mice with asthma were treated with ASHMI, DEX, or water for 6 to 7 weeks. Naive mice served as controls. Subsequently, mice were mated. Twelve-day-old F1 offspring received 3 consecutive intranasal low- or high-dose OVA exposures without sensitization. Forty-eight hours later, airway inflammation, mucus hypersecretion, serum antibodies, and cytokines were evaluated. RESULTS: Offspring from OVA-sensitized mothers, but not naive mothers, showed eosinophilic and neutrophilic airway inflammation, and mucus hyperplasia after OVA exposure and he presence of OVA-specific IgG1 and IgG2a. Offspring of ASHMI- and DEX-treated mothers showed decreased airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion after low-dose OVA (P < .05-.001 for the 2 comparisons vs offspring of OVA/Sham mothers). Offspring of ASHMI-treated, but not DEX-treated, mothers were protected after the high-dose OVA challenge (P < .05-.01 vs offspring OVA/Sham). Maternal ASHMI therapy was associated with increased IgG2a (P < .01 vs offspring of OVA/Sham mothers) and decreased bronchoalveolar lavage fluid CXCL-1 and eotaxin-1 levels (P < .01 and P < .05, respectively, vs offspring of OVA/Sham mothers). CONCLUSION: Offspring of mothers with OVA-induced asthma developed airway inflammation and mucus to first-ever OVA exposure without prior sensitization. Maternal therapy with ASHMI was superior to DEX in decreasing offspring susceptibility to airway disease and could be a strategy to lower asthma prevalence.

The impact of maternal anti-retroviral therapy on cytokine profile in the uninfected neonates.

The number of HIV-infected young women has been increasing since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. The objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of anti-retroviral treatment (ART) of HIV-1-infected pregnant women (PW) on cytokine profile of uninfected neonates. Our results demonstrated that higher levels of IL-1ß and TNF-α associated with lower IL-10 production were detected in the plasma obtained from neonates born from ART-treated PW. Furthermore, the production of TNF- α and IFN-γ was also significantly higher in polyclonally-activated T cells from those neonates. This elevated pro-inflammatory pattern detected by these activated-T cells was not associated to HIV-1 antigens sensitization. Finally, ART-exposed neonates showed to be born with lower weight, and it was inversely correlated with maternal peripheral TNF-a level. In summary, the data presented here suggest a significant disturbance in cytokine network of HIV-1-uninfected neonates exposed to potent anti-retroviral schemes during pregnancy.

Organic and inorganic selenium: IV. passive transfer of immunoglobulin from ewe to lamb.

Newborn lambs depend on their dams for passive transfer of immunoglobulins, primarily IgG, for protection from harmful pathogens until their own immunological defenses have developed. Previous studies have suggested that supplementation with Se results in a modest increase in IgG concentration in serum of newborn calves and lambs. To evaluate the effect of the Se source and supplementation rate in ewes during pregnancy on passive transfer of IgG to their lambs, 210 Polypay, Suffolk, or Suffolk × Polypay cross ewes were divided into 7 treatment groups (n = 30 each) and drenched weekly with no Se, at the maximum FDA-allowed concentration with inorganic Na-selenite or organic Se-yeast (4.9 mg Se/wk), or with inorganic Na-selenite and organic Se-yeast at supranutritional concentrations (14.7 and 24.5 mg Se/wk). Ewe serum IgG concentrations were measured within 30 d of parturition, ewe colostrum and lamb serum IgG concentrations were measured at parturition before suckling, and lamb serum IgG concentrations were measured again at 48 h postnatal. Ewes receiving 24.5 mg Se/wk tended to have or had, independent of Se source, greater colostral IgG concentrations than ewes receiving 4.9 mg Se/wk overall (81.3 vs. 66.2 mg/mL; P = 0.08) and for Polypay ewes only (90.1 vs. 60.7 mg/mL; P = 0.03). Polypay ewes receiving Se-yeast at 24.5 mg Se/wk transferred a greater calculated total IgG amount to their lambs than Polypay ewes receiving Se-yeast at 4.9 mg Se/wk (15.5 vs. 11.6 g; P = 0.02), whereas the converse was true (interaction between Se source and dose concentration; P = 0.03) for Polypay ewes receiving inorganic Na-selenite at 24.5 mg Se/wk vs. Na-selenite at 4.9 mg/wk (11.6 vs. 15.7 g; P = 0.08). Our results suggest that supranutritional Se supplementation of Polypay ewes during pregnancy increases colostral IgG concentrations but that the optimal supplementation rate for IgG transfer from ewe to lamb may differ for Na-selenite and Se-yeast.

Effects of feeding an herbal preparation to sows on immunological performance of offspring.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding Chinese herbal ultra-fine (CHU) powder to sows during the last week of gestation and during the lactation period on immunological performance of the offspring. In this experiment, 15 pregnant sows (mean BW = 235.6 ± 3.7 kg) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments including no additive (Control), 0.75% CHU powder (Group A), or 1.5% CHU powder (Group B) added to a maize- and soybean meal-based diet. Blood from 10 piglets per group was collected at d 7, d 14, or d 21 of age to measure serum metabolites, lymphocyte proliferating activity, and serum antibody and cytokine concentrations. Dietary supplementation of sows with CHU powder increased (P < 0.05) serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, and triglycerides of offspring, whereas the concentration of glucose was reduced (P < 0.05) compared with Controls. The CHU powder enhanced (P < 0.05) serum concentrations of IgG in Group B offspring on d 7 and IgM in Group A offspring on d 7 and d 14, increased IL-10 in Group A offspring on d 7, as well as IL-2 in offspring from Groups A and B on all days of determination. The CHU powder increased interferon gamma in Group A offspring on d 14 and in Group B offspring on d 14 and d 21, and increased tumor necrosis factor alpha in offspring of Group A on d 14 and in Group B on all days surveyed. Compared with Controls, a greater number (P < 0.05) of T lymphocyte subpopulations were detected in Group A and B offspring including CD4+ cells in Group A on d 7 and d 21, CD4+ cells in Group B on d 14 and d 21, and CD8+ cells in Group A on d 7 and d 14. Collectively, these findings indicate a beneficial effect of CHU powder treatment of sows in later gestation and during lactation on serum metabolism and cellular and humoral immune responses of their offspring.

Drug treatment of malaria infections can reduce levels of protection transferred to offspring via maternal immunity.

Maternally transferred immunity can have a fundamental effect on the ability of offspring to deal with infection. However, levels of antibodies in adults can vary both quantitatively and qualitatively between individuals and during the course of infection. How infection dynamics and their modification by drug treatment might affect the protection transferred to offspring remains poorly understood. Using the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi, we demonstrate that curing dams part way through infection prior to pregnancy can alter their immune response, with major consequences for offspring health and survival. In untreated maternal infections, maternally transferred protection suppressed parasitaemia and reduced pup mortality by 75 per cent compared with pups from naïve dams. However, when dams were treated with anti-malarial drugs, pups received fewer maternal antibodies, parasitaemia was only marginally suppressed, and mortality risk was 25 per cent higher than for pups from dams with full infections. We observed the same qualitative patterns across three different host strains and two parasite genotypes. This study reveals the role that within-host infection dynamics play in the fitness consequences of maternally transferred immunity. Furthermore, it highlights a potential trade-off between the health of mothers and offspring suggesting that anti-parasite treatment may significantly affect the outcome of infection in newborns.

Developmental and reproductive toxicity testing of vaccines.

The majority of new preventative and therapeutic vaccines are now assessed for developmental toxicity according to guidelines issued by the FDA in 2006. Despite the absence of confirmed effects in humans, vaccines are frequently suspected of having adverse side-effects on the development of children. Such suspicions are perhaps unavoidable considering the extremely widespread use of vaccines. The preclinical developmental toxicology studies are designed to assess possible influences of each component of the vaccine formulation-and the induced antibodies-on the development of the conceptus, neonate and suckling organism. Immune modulation by a vaccine or an adjuvant could, for instance, affect the outcome of pregnancy by interfering with the natural shift in immune balance of the mother during gestation. Maternal immunoglobulins are transferred from the mother to the offspring in order to confer passive immunity during early life. This maternal antibody transport is prenatal in humans and monkeys, but tends to be delayed until after birth in other species. Therefore, a suitable model species needs to be chosen for preclinical studies in order to ensure exposure of the foetus to the induced maternal antibodies following vaccination. Rabbits are the best laboratory model for prenatal immunoglobulin transfer, but rodents are more practical for the necessary postnatal investigations. Non-human primates are the only appropriate models for the testing of vaccines that are not immunogenic in lower species. It is advisable to test new adjuvants separately according to the ICH S5(R2) guidelines. Preclinical paediatric investigations are not currently required for vaccines, even though most vaccines are given to children. Other areas of regulatory concern include developmental immunotoxicity and effects on the preimplantation embryo. Because of the limitations of the available animal models for developmental toxicity testing, pharmacovigilance is essential.

Sodium dodecyl sulfate reduces bacterial contamination in goat colostrum without negative effects on immune passive transfer in goat kids.

To investigate the use of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a biocide on goat colostrum, 2 experiments were performed. In the first, 20 goat colostrum samples were divided into 3 aliquots. A different treatment was performed on each aliquot: pasteurization (56°C, 30 min) or addition of SDS to a final concentration of either 0.1 or 1% (36°C, 10 min). Immunoglobulin G and colony-forming units were evaluated before and after treatment. Both pasteurization and treatment with 1% SDS significantly reduced the colony-forming units in colostrum. Treatment with 0.1% SDS was not effective at reducing the colony-forming units in colostrum. The IgG concentration of pasteurized colostrum was significantly lower than that of untreated colostrum, whereas treatment with 1% SDS did not affect the colostrum IgG concentration. In the second experiment, the effects of SDS colostrum treatment on immune passive transfer were evaluated. Forty goat kids were fed either refrigerated colostrum or colostrum treated with 1% SDS twice daily for 2 d. Blood samples were obtained at birth and every day for 5 d. IgG, IgM, and IgA were measured in blood serum to monitor the passive immune transfer process. Creatinine, glucose, total cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen, bilirubin, and aspartate transaminase were also monitored to evaluate the health of kids. No differences in serum IgG, IgM, IgA, creatinine, glucose, total cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen, bilirubin, or aspartate transaminase levels were observed between groups. Our findings indicate that SDS is an efficient colostrum biocide that, unlike pasteurization, does not affect immune passive transfer or goat kid health.

Anionic salts in the prepartum diet and addition of sodium bicarbonate to colostrum replacer, and their effects on immunoglobulin G absorption in the neonate.

The objectives of this experiment were to determine whether feeding anionic salts to prepartum Holstein cows affected their calf's colostral IgG passive transfer and whether adding sodium bicarbonate to a colostrum replacer (CR) would increase the efficiency of IgG absorption. Forty Holstein cows and their resulting calves were assigned to a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments in a randomized complete block design based on expected date of calving. Three weeks before the projected due date, cows were placed on 1 of 2 treatments: a diet without anionic salts (dietary cation-anion difference of +77 mEq/kg) or a diet with anionic salts (dietary cation-anion difference of -100 mEq/kg). Within 45 min after birth, all calves received 1 dose of a commercially available CR (132g of IgG) without or with supplemental sodium bicarbonate (19.5 g/dose). A half-dose of CR (66g of IgG) and sodium bicarbonate (9.75g) was fed at 6h of age. Calves received milk replacer at 12, 24, 36, and 48h. Blood samples were obtained from calves at 0, 6, 12, 24, and 48h and were analyzed for IgG concentration. Cows fed the diet supplemented with anionic salts had lower DMI on d 8, 5, 4, and 1 and lower urine pH 2 and 1 wk before parturition compared with cows fed the diet without supplemental anionic salts. Calves born from dams receiving anionic salts had similar IgG concentrations (15.1 vs. 14.4g/L) and apparent efficiency of absorption values (29.2 vs. 28.2%) compared with calves born from dams not fed anionic salts. Calves receiving supplemental sodium bicarbonate in the CR had higher serum IgG concentrations at 12 (14.4 vs. 12.0g/L), 24 (16.3 vs. 13.2g/L), and 48h (14.6 vs. 11.2g/L) and higher apparent efficiency of absorption values (31.2 vs. 26.1%) than calves that did not receive sodium bicarbonate in the CR. Calves receiving sodium bicarbonate also had greater area under the curve values for IgG absorption compared with calves not receiving sodium bicarbonate. There was a trend for an interaction with calves born from dams fed anionic salts having a greater area under the curve when fed supplemental sodium bicarbonate. Of the 40 calves in the study, 90% obtained adequate passive transfer (serum IgG > or = 10g/L). This study indicates that feeding anionic salts to the dam has no effect on passive transfer, whereas adding sodium bicarbonate to the CR increased IgG uptake in calves.

Maternal allergen immunisation to prevent sensitisation in offspring: Th2-polarising adjuvants are more efficient than a Th1-polarising adjuvant in mice.

BACKGROUND: Allergy has been an increasing problem in several parts of the world. Prenatal exposure to allergen and microbial components may affect the development of allergies in childhood, as indicated by epidemiological and experimental studies. We investigated the capacity for allergic sensitisation in offspring after induction of a Th1- or a Th2-polarised immune response to the same allergen in mothers during pregnancy. RESULTS: During pregnancy, mice were immunised with ovalbumin (OVA) given with either one of the Th2-adjuvants pertussis toxin (PT) or Al(OH)3 (aluminium hydroxide), or with the Th1 adjuvant CpG. Offspring were immunised with OVA in Al(OH)3 as young adults. Serum and supernatants from ex vivo stimulated or non-stimulated spleen cells from mothers and offspring were analysed for OVA-specific antibodies and cytokines, respectively. Mothers immunised with OVA together with either Al(OH)3 or PT had increased levels of OVA-specific IgE and IgG1 compared to naive mothers, whereas mothers immunised with OVA together with CpG had increased levels of OVA-specific IgG2a compared to naive mothers. In general the highest levels of IL-5, IL-10, and IFNgamma were observed in spleen cells from mothers immunised with PT and OVA. Upon immunisation, offspring from mothers immunised with OVA and either PT or Al(OH)3 showed reduced levels of OVA-specific IgE and IgG1 and increased levels of OVA-specific IgG2a antibodies compared to offspring from naive mothers. Maternal immunisation with CpG and OVA did not affect antibody responses in offspring. CONCLUSION: Allergic sensitisation in the offspring was affected by the type of adjuvant used for immunisation of the mothers with the same allergen. Th2 polarisation of the immune response in the mothers was found to give reduced IgE levels upon sensitisation of the offspring, whereas no reduction was achieved with Th1 polarisation in the mothers.

Effects of late gestation supplementation of rumen undegradable protein, vitamin E, zinc, and chlortetracycline to ewes on indices of immune transfer and productivity.

Late gestation supplementation of feed additives, such as rumen undegradable intake protein (RUIP), vitamin E, Zn, and chlortetracycline, has inconsistently improved ewe/lamb productivity. In 3 experiments, Western white-faced ewes were supplemented for at least 30 d during late gestation with 204 g/(ewe.d) on a DM basis of high (HS; 12.5% RUIP, 880 IU/kg of vitamin E, 176 mg/kg of Zn supplied by an AA complex, and 352 mg/kg of chlortetracycline) or low (LS; 7.56% RUIP and no supplemental vitamin E, Zn, or chlortetracycline) supplements. Ewes of different age (Exp. 1; 3- vs. 6-yr-old; n = 52) and BCS (Exp. 2; good vs. poor BCS; 3.0 and 1.7 +/- 0.5, respectively; n = 40) were supplemented individually in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments for 29 d. Thereafter, each ewe was group fed the appropriate supplement until lambing (14 +/- 7 d). Ewe intake, colostral IgG, ewe and lamb parainfluenza type 3 (PI(3)) titers, milk production, ewe BW and BCS change, and lamb production were measured in both experiments. In Exp. 3, approximately 600 ewes were group fed HS or LS over 2 yr. Ewe BW, ewe BCS, lamb production, and lamb survival was measured in Exp. 3 with groups within year as the experimental unit. In Exp. 1, lambs born to 3-yr-old ewes fed the HS had greater (P = 0.01) anti-PI(3) antibody titers than lambs born to 3-yr-old ewes fed the LS. Three-year-old ewes had greater (P < 0.01) DMI than 6-yr-old ewes. In Exp. 1 and 2, d 3 and 10 milk production differences (P

Effect of selenium supplementation and plane of nutrition on mares and their foals: foaling data.

To investigate the maternal plane of nutrition and role of Se yeast on foaling variables and passive transfer of IgG, 28 Quarter Horse mares were used in a study with a randomized complete block design. Mares were blocked by expected foaling date and assigned randomly within block to dietary treatments. Dietary treatments were arranged as a 2 x 2 factorial with 2 planes of nutrition, pasture or pasture + grain mix (fed at 0.75% of BW on an as-fed basis) and 2 concentrations of Se yeast (0 or 0.3 mg/kg of DMI). This resulted in 4 treatments: pasture (PA), pasture + Se (PS), pasture + grain mix (PG), and pasture + grain mix + Se (PGS). Assuming DMI at 2% of BW, the mares fed PA and PS received approximately 100% of the calculated NRC (2007) DE requirements, whereas PG and PGS received 120%. Selenium supplementation began 110 d before the estimated foaling date, and all dietary treatments were terminated at parturition. At parturition, foaling variables were recorded. Additionally, placental weight was recorded and 2 samples from each placenta were collected for analysis of DNA, RNA, and protein. Colostrum was obtained for fat, protein, milk urea N, somatic cell count, and IgG analyses. Foal blood samples were collected at 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h after parturition for IgG analysis. There was no effect (P >or= 0.21) of Se or plane of nutrition on foaling variables; however, foal BW as a percentage of mare BW tended (P = 0.10) to be reduced in foals from mares on grain mix (PG and PGS; 7.6%) compared with mares not fed grain mix (PA and PS; 8.0%). There was also no effect (P >or= 0.20) of Se or plane of nutrition on placental cell number (mg of DNA/g), potential cellular activity (RNA:DNA), expulsion time, or weight. However, mares fed supplemental Se (PS and PGS) had decreased (P = 0.02) placental cell size (24.1 mg of protein/mg of DNA) compared with mares not fed supplemental Se (PA and PG; 32.5 mg of protein/mg of DNA). There was also no effect (P >or= 0.18) of Se or plane of nutrition on colostral fat, protein, milk urea N, or somatic cell count. However, mares fed grain mix (PG and PGS) had less (P = 0.03) colostral IgG (76.5 g/L) compared with mares not fed grain mix (PA and PS; 126.6 g/L). Foals from mares fed grain (PG and PGS) tended (P = 0.06) to have less overall serum IgG (13.6 g/L) compared with foals from mares not fed grain (PA and PS; 15.3 g/L). These data indicate that the maternal diet during the last one-third of gestation affects placental efficiency and colostral IgG.