Antigen-specific and polyclonal serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations were measured in control (Con), vitamin A-deficient (A-def), and vitamin A-repleted (A-rep) lambs. In Trial, I ewe lambs were injected with primary and secondary antigenic challenges of ovalbumin (1mg) and lysozyme (.1mg). The A-def lambs were then repleted with vitamin A and all lambs were injected with primary and secondary antigenic challenges of human gamma globulin (HGG) (.1mg). In Trial II Con and A-def wether lambs were given primary and secondary antigenic challenges of ovalbumin (20μg). Half of the A-def lambs were then repleted with vitamin A. All lambs were subsequently given a primary and secondary challenge of HGG (20 μg). Spleen wt were similar for all treatments in Trial I while A-def V lambs in Trial II had greater spleen wt (P<.01) than Con or A-rep lambs. Polyclonal serum IgG concentrations were unaffected by treatment in Trial I while in Trial II concentrations were greater (P<.05) in the A-def lambs during the HGG challenge period. Antigen-specific IgG concentrations in both trials tended to be greater in the Con lambs towards the end of both the ovalbumin (Trial I and II) and lysozyme (Trial I) challenge periods. Control and A-rep lambs in Trial I responded similarly to the HGG challenges. In Trial II both the A-def and A-rep lambs had lower (P<.10) HGG specific serum IgG concentrations on the last 3 wk of the HGG challenge period as compared to A-def lambs. Humoral immune function appears to be impaired in A-def lambs and a 2-wk repletion period was not sufficient in this study to restore humoral immune function to normal levels. / Ph. D.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/53919 |
Date | January 1988 |
Creators | Bruns, Nicholas Joseph |
Contributors | Animal Science, Webb, Jr., Kenneth, Veit, Hugo P., Kornegay, Ervin T., Herbein, Joseph H. Jr., Elgert, Klaus |
Publisher | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University |
Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
Language | en_US |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Dissertation, Text |
Format | xii, 179 leaves, application/pdf, application/pdf |
Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
Relation | OCLC# 18666644 |
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