Effects of a dietary application of a yeast cell wall extract on innate and acquired immunity, on oxidative status and growth performance in weanling piglets and on the ileal epithelium in fattened pigs.
Potential immunomodulatory effects of a cell wall extract from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Y; Antaferm MG) were tested in pigs: in trial I, 0.03% Y and in trial II 0.3% Y was used. Based on earlier observations that Y may increase feed intake, two treatment groups, Y-a (fed ad libitum) and Y-r (fed restrictively) were studied in comparison with a control group (C) in both trials. Y-r received the amount of feed consumed by C. Immune status was surveyed by determining phagocytic activity and oxidative burst of neutrophils and blood concentrations of haptoglobin (Hp), and immunoglobulin (Ig) G and A. Oxidative stress was monitored by recording reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) and total antioxidant capacity. In a third trial, fattened pigs were used for morphological and immunohistochemical studies (IgM and IgA as well as CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells) in ileal epithelium. Pigs fed 0.03% Y for 2 weeks prior to slaughter were compared with the C group. Feed intake was identical in the Y-a and Y-b groups and data subsets were accordingly pooled. Treatment and time as well as treatment x time interactions were detectable for most of the parameters studied, but a distinct immunomodulatory effect of Y was not consistently identifiable and performance did not improve. In trial III, the intestinal parameters investigated were not different between Y and C.
Sauerwein
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H
Institute of Animal Science, Physiology and Hygiene Group, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. sauerwein@uni-bonn.de
Schmitz
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Hiss
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D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D002149:Energy Intake; D007082:Ileum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011897:Random Allocation; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D016897:Respiratory Burst; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000737:chemistry*; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D014886:Weaning
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species