title: Effect of age and mitogen on the frequency of interleukin-4 and interferon gamma secreting cells in foals and adult horses as assessed by an equine-specific ELISPOT assay.
abstract: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from 6 foals <1 week of age, 6 foals between 3 and 4 months of age, and 10 adult horses. PBMCs were stimulated with concanavalin A (ConA) or calcium ionomycin-phorbol myristate acetate (CaI-PMA) and the frequency of interferon IFN-gamma and IL-4 secreting cells was measured using an equine-specific ELISPOT assay. The number of IFN-gamma secreting cells was significantly lower in both groups of foals than in adult horses regardless of the mitogen used for stimulation. The number of IFN-gamma secreting cells was significantly higher in cells stimulated with CaI-PMA than in cells stimulated with ConA. In cells stimulated with CaI-PMA, the number of IL-4 secreting cells was significantly lower in both groups of foals compared to adult horses. In adult horses only, CaI-PMA stimulation resulted in significantly more IL-4 secreting cells than ConA stimulation. Regardless of age, the ratio of IFN-gamma/IL-4 spot forming cells (SFC) was significantly higher in cells stimulated with CaI-PMA than in cells stimulated with ConA. These findings indicate that the frequency of IFN-gamma and IL-4 secreting cells is lower in foals than in adult horses and that the type of mitogen used has a profound effect on the relative production of both cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Steeve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giguère
authors.forename: Jodi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hartnett
authors.forename: Alexander E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Kalyuzhny
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens; D003208:Concanavalin A; D015847:Interleukin-4; D015759:Ionomycin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate