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L‐arginine supplementation to gestation and lactation diets enhances the expression of immune related genes in white blood cells of lactating sows
Author(s) -
Mateo Ronald D.,
Dowd Scot E.,
Carroll Jeff A.,
Wu Guoyao,
Kim Sung Woo
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a334-a
Subject(s) - lactation , biology , gestation , medicine , endocrinology , arginine , andrology , immune system , pregnancy , immunology , biochemistry , amino acid , genetics
A study was to investigate the effects of L‐arginine HCl supplementation on immune related gene expression in leukocytes of first parity sows. 19 primiparous sows (BW, 180.7±2.7 kg) were used in this study. On d 30 of gestation, pregnant gilts were assigned to one two dietary treatments which consisted of a basal diet supplemented with 1% L‐arginine HCl or an isonitrogenous basal diet (1.7% L‐alanine) which were maintained throughout the study. Gestation diets contained 3.1 ME (Mcal/kg) and 12.2% CP and were fed daily at 2 kg. Lactation diets contained 3.2 ME (Mcal/kg) and 18.6% CP and where provided ad libitum throughout lactation. At 110 d of gestation pregnant gilts were transferred to farrowing crates. All piglets were weaned at 21 d after which sows were returned to gestation stalls. Blood samples (3 mL) were collected into Tempus RNA blood tubes, via jugular venepuncture, at 21 d of lactation and further processed for microarray analysis. Using an immune system targeted microarray 8 hybridizations and dye swaps were performed and results validated with quantitative RT‐PCR. Expression analysis showed that long term feeding of L‐arginine to sows resulted in the upregulation (P<0.05) of immune related genes including PVA2A Ig heavy chain region, SLA‐3, granulocyte‐macrophage colony stimulating factor, polymeric Ig receptor, methionine synthase, and myocardin mRNA. Results from the study indicate that L‐arginine HCl at 1% supplementation during early gestation, up to lactation, increases the expression of leukocyte immune related genes which may enhance immune response of first parity lactating sows.