title: Effects of gender, diet, exogenous melatonin and subchronic PCB exposure on plasma immunoglobulin G in mink.
abstract: Effects of different fish-based diets (freshwater smelt, Baltic herring, marine herring/cod offal or their mixtures), gender, beta-glucan supplement, exogenous melatonin, and PCB exposure (Aroclor 1242((R)), 1 mg per animal per day in feed) on plasma immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the mink (Mustela vison) were studied. The aims of the study were to find out whether plasma IgG of the mink is affected by the subchronic PCB exposure, and whether biological, nutritional and hormonal effects are large enough to mask the possible IgG response. The concentration of IgG was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sexual dimorphism was detected, the males having higher levels of plasma IgG. In addition, melatonin tended to decrease IgG in females but not males. Diet also affected the humoral immune arm; the mixed-fish diets caused an unfavorable ratio of the oxidation products of lipids vs. vitamin E in liver, and resulted in low IgG concentration in plasma. In males fed Baltic herring, the beta-glucan supplement also lowered IgG levels. The PCBs failed to affect the plasma IgG of the smelt-fed female mink, and IgG concentration was not correlated with increased hepatic EROD activity or with the decreased total retinol in the liver of exposed mink. It is concluded that hormonal/seasonal and dietary factors affect the plasma IgG levels to such an extent that possible change in plasma IgG level due to PCBs in wild populations of mink is difficult to detect without a large amount of reference data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 111, Joensuu, Finland. Reijo.Kakela@joensuu.fi
authors.forename: Reijo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Käkelä
authors.forename: Ilmari
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jokinen
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Käkelä
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hyvärinen
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils; D005399:Fishes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008907:Mink / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012621:Seasons; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005395:Fish Oils; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014810:Vitamin E; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D008550:Melatonin