title: Memory antibody responses of broiler and leghorn chickens as influenced by dietary vitamin E and route of sheep red blood cell administration.
abstract: Influences of dietary levels of vitamin E fed to hens and their progeny, and routes of SRBC inoculation on antibody responses of diverse populations of chickens were studied. Populations were a commercial broiler sire line (C), 2 commercial broiler dam lines (A and B), and Leghorn lines selected for high (H) or low (L) antibody response to SRBC. Dams from lines A and B were fed diets supplemented with either 10 or 300 IU/kg of vitamin E, whereas dams from lines H and L received only the diet with 10 IU of vitamin E/kg. Progeny from matings of C males with A and B females as well as H and L females mated to males from their respective lines were hatched on the same day and fed diets supplemented with either 10 or 300 IU/kg of vitamin E. Breeders were the same age and eggs were incubated in the same machine. Chicks were inoculated on d 14 intravenously with 0.1 mL of a 0.5% suspension of SRBC or intramuscularly with 0.1 mL of a 25% suspension of SRBC. Antibody response was measured 6 and 14 d later. Chicks received a booster i.m. inoculation of 0.1 mL of 25% SRBC on d 28. Titers were again measured 6 and 14 d later. Level of vitamin E fed to dams did not affect progeny BW or plasma vitamin E levels. Although titers were higher following i.v. than i.m. inoculation, the degree of difference varied among stocks. Dietary vitamin E level interacted with inoculation route with a greater response to the higher than lower level of vitamin E for i.v., but there was no difference for i.m. There were stock x level of vitamin E and stock x route of inoculation interactions for secondary responses to SRBC inoculation. Stock rankings after the first inoculation were not predictive of the rankings after the second inoculation. The 30-fold increase in dietary level of vitamin E resulted in >12-fold differences in plasma levels of vitamin E. Overall, there was a stock-dependent influence of dietary vitamin E on growth and humoral antibody response.
authors.affiliation: Animal and Poultry Sciences Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg 24061-0306, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boa-Amponsem
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meldrum
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Siegel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D001835:Body Weight; D001947:Breeding; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D007114:Immunization; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D012756:Sheep; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D014810:Vitamin E