The effects of feeding emissions from a metal-producing plant upon the immune system of sheep.
The aim of our study was to asses the effects of feeding emissions of a plant producing metals from heavy metal-containing ore upon the humoral immunity in sheep. Three-year-old sheep of the Wallachian breed were included in an experiment and they were divided into two groups. The experimental group (5 animals) was administered emission-containing (prevailingly Cu and Zn) capsules for 3 weeks at a dose amounting to the twofold and during week four the threefold of the daily intake of sheep bred in the exposed area. The animals were subcutaneously immunized with ovalbumin (OVA, SIGMA A 5503) in 10% alhydrogel at a dose of 2 mg/100 kg l.w. In weekly intervals, blood samples were analyzed for specific antibody and total immunoglobulin levels. In both groups, OVA antibody formation was most pronounced in the 3rd and 5th weeks of observation. It was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in the experimental animals than in the controls (1.021, 0.641 and 1.138 vs. 0.435, 0.265 and 0.673 in the 3rd, 4th and 5th weeks, respectively). In the experimental group, total immunoglobulin concentrations slightly increased from 33.5 U ZST (starting value) to 38.72 U ZST (final value). As to the total immunoglobulin levels, no significant differences were determined between the two groups. It can be seen from the results that short-term administration of emissions promotes increased specific OVA antibody formation and a slight increase in total immunoglobulin levels. At the same time the ELISA method was proved to be suitable for specific antibody detection as a part of humoral immunity assessment.
Nad'
P
P
Research Institute of Experimental Veterinary Medicine, Kosice, Slovak Republic.
Bíresová
M
M
Legát
J
J
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D008670:Metals / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D012756:Sheep / Q000276:immunology*
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008670:Metals; D010047:Ovalbumin