Acute feed intake and acute-phase protein responses following a lipopolysaccharide challenge in pigs from two dam lines.
This study was conducted to evaluate the response of two dam lines of pigs to acute increases of LPS. Acute-phase proteins were also measured to determine their potential use as biological indicators of the immune response. Thirty-six pigs (initial body weight = 21.3 +/- 0.48 kg) were allotted by dam line (Lines 1 and 2) and sex (castrates and gilts) to one of three LPS dose treatments and penned individually. Treatments were a single i.m. injection of 0 (LPS-0), 25 (LPS-25) or 50 microg LPS/kg body weight (BW) (LPS-50). Acute changes in feed intake were related to a pre-injection baseline intake. Feeders were weighed daily to establish baseline feed intake (average daily feed intake -48 to 0 h prior to injection). The acute feed intake response (AFIR) was computed as the average daily feed intake 0-48 h after injection divided by baseline intake. Serum was harvested at time 0 and 48 h after injection. LPS-0 pigs grew faster and consumed more feed than the LPS-25 or LPS-50 pigs (0.79 kg/d versus 0.51 and 0.50 kg/d; 1.15 kg/d versus 0.96 and 0.89 kg/d, respectively; P<0.001). The AFIR of Line 1 castrates and Line 2 gilts was similar for LPS-25 and LPS-50 treatments, while Line 1 gilts and Line 2 castrates had decreased AFIR with increased LPS dose (sex x line x LPS, P<0.05). Three of 18 castrates died but no gilts died following the LPS challenge (P<0.10). Castrates had higher haptoglobin (Hpt) concentrations than gilts on d 0 (18.1 units of absorption/mg of protein versus 13.1 units of absorption/mg of protein; P<0.03). Line 1 pigs had higher C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations than Line 2 pigs (P<0.05) on d 0. LPS treatment did not change serum concentrations of CRP, Hpt or ceruloplasmin (Cp). However, the change in serum amyloid A (SAA) concentration decreased quadratically (from 0 to 48 h) with increasing LPS dose (P<0.02). This change in SAA was negatively correlated with the AFIR (r= -0.80; P<0.001). In general, castrates appear to be more sensitive to endotoxin challenges than gilts. Serum amyloid A, but not the other acute-phase proteins evaluated, was a good biological indicator of immune system activation following an acute lipopolysaccharide challenge when compared to the acute change in feed intake.
Frank
J W
JW
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
Mellencamp
M A
MA
Carroll
J A
JA
Boyd
R D
RD
Allee
G L
GL
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D010052:Ovariectomy; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000097:blood*
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D006242:Haptoglobins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002570:Ceruloplasmin