title: The effect of methionine and aflatoxin on immune function in weanling pigs.
abstract: To investigate the effect of aflatoxin (AF) and dietary methionine (MET) on immune responses of swine, a total of 288 pigs weaned at 21 d of age were allotted to 12 dietary treatments arranged in a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design. Diets consisted of a corn-soybean meal diet (.95% lysine, .30% MET, and .32% cystine) containing either 0, 140, or 280 ppb of AF and supplemented with either 0, .15, .30, or .45% DL-MET. Immune response measurements were made after the pigs had received their diet for 3 wk. Antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) was measured 0, 7, and 14 d after i.m. injection of 2.5 mL of a 20% SRBC suspension. Total serum immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG were measured using an ELISA. In vivo cellular immunity was measured using a phytohemagglutinin (PHA) skin test. Skin thickness was measured 0, 6, 12, 24, and 36 h after s.c. injection of .1 mL of PHA (1.50 mg/mL). In vitro cellular immunity was measured using a lymphocyte blastogenesis assay. Antibody response to SRBC and serum IgM and IgG concentrations were not affected by dietary treatments. Skin thickness response at 6 h after injection was maximal when .45% MET was added to diets containing 280 ppb of AF, whereas the response was maximal at .30% supplemental MET for the 0 and 140 ppb of AF diets (AF x MET interaction, P < .10). Skin thickness was reduced linearly (P < .10) with increasing dietary AF at 12 and 24 h after PHA injection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695-7621.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Heugten
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Spears
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Coffey
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Kegley
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Qureshi
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012882:Skin Tests; D013552:Swine / Q000276:immunology*; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008715:Methionine