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Cytokine Concentration in Foals’ Serum Pre‐ and Post Suckling
Author(s) -
Mariella J.,
Castagnetti C.,
Prosperi A.,
Scagliarini A.,
Adriani G.,
Peli A.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.1111/evj.12323_5
Subject(s) - colostrum , foal , medicine , horse , immune system , cytokine , passive immunity , immunology , chemistry , endocrinology , biology , antibody , paleontology , genetics
Reasons for performing study Colostrum acts as a source of immunomodulatory molecules for the neonate. Little information is available about the transfer of cytokines via colostrum in the foal. Objectives To investigate the transfer via colostrum of IL ‐4, IL ‐13, IL ‐8 and IFN ‐γ. Study design Prospective observational study. Methods Jugular venous blood pre‐ ( T 0) and post suckling ( T 24) and colostrum were collected from 14 healthy foals and their dams. The cytokines’ concentration was measured with an ELISA test. Serum IgG concentration was measured in foals at T24 with an immunoturbidimetric assay. Since data were not normally distributed, nonparametric tests for statistical analysis were used. The Wilcoxon t test evaluated the difference in each cytokine concentration between T 0 and T 24. Spearman rank correlation tested the association between cytokines’ concentration in T 24 serum and in colostrum, between T 24– T 0 (Δ T ) serum concentration and colostrum concentration, and between cytokines serum concentration at T 24 and IgG concentration. Results All the foals had a complete transfer of passive immunity. A statistically significant difference was found between serum IL ‐4 concentration at T 0 and at T 24. The significant correlations found were: serum IL ‐4 concentration at T 24 with IL ‐4 concentration in colostrum, serum IL ‐13 concentration at T 24 with IgG serum concentration, and IL ‐4 concentration in colostrum with Δ T serum IL ‐4 concentration. Conclusions The results support the hypothesis that IL ‐4 is transferred via colostrum to the foal, as reported for TNF ‐α [1]. The presence of IL ‐8 in the foal's serum at T 0 suggests an endogenous production. The IL ‐13 concentration is close to zero for the major part of serum and colostrum samples suggesting a subject‐dependent immunologic response. The IFN ‐γ is present both in colostrum and in T 0 serum suggesting that foals are not deficient at birth. Ethical animal reasearch: Studies approved by the Ethical Committee of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of B ologna. Oral informed consent was given by the owners. Sources of funding: University of B ologna. Competing interests: None.