Immunodeficiency in young pigs.
Immunodeficiency in neonatal and young pigs was studied in terms of T-cell function. Generalized T-cell deficiency did not exist in young pigs on the basis of the in vitro response of blood mononuclear cells to a polyclonal T-cell mitogen, phytohemagglutinin. However, immunodeficiency that extended from birth up to 4 weeks, was observed in serum antibody concentration and in vitro proliferative responses of blood mononuclear cells from young pigs exposed to a low antigen dose of a T-cell dependent antigen, egg white lysozyme. The low in vitro proliferative response to lysozyme was not attributable simply to a lack of interleukin-2 production, because supplementation with human interleukin-2 did not enhance the in vitro cellular response. Also, pokeweed mitogen-stimulated B cells from young pigs up to the age of 5 to 6 weeks produced immunoglobulin concentration, which also was not affected by the addition of human interleukin-2 to the in vitro cultures. The blood mononuclear cells obtained from pigs within the first 5 to 6 weeks after birth and incubated with monoclonal antibodies reactive to all T cells (MSA4), helper T cells (74-12-4) or suppressor/cytotoxic T cells (76-2-11) did not yield consistent excess of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Hammerberg
C
C
Veterinary Microbiology Research Laboratories, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061.
Schurig
G G
GG
Ochs
D L
DL
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008934:Mitogens; D013552:Swine / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008934:Mitogens