title: Improvements of immune status, intestinal integrity and gain performance in the early-weaned calves parenterally supplemented with L-alanyl-L-glutamine dipeptide.
abstract: Glutamine (Gln) is an important substrate for the innate immune cells including lymphocytes and macrophages. In this report, the effects of alanyl-glutamine dipeptide (Ala-Gln) on the naïve immune system, intestinal integrity and gain performance of early-weaned calves were investigated. Early-weaned Chinese Holstein calves were intravenously administered different dosages of Ala-Gln. The effects of Ala-Gln administration were ascertained by evaluating the blood for naïve T lymphocyte subpopulations, the concentrations of serum IgG, serum IgA and intestinal mucosal secretory IgA (s-IgA), the intestinal integrity, as well as the gain performance. Results demonstrated that intravenous administration of Ala-Gln dipeptide (1.01 g/kg×d(-1)) for 7 days had a positive effect on gain performance, intestinal integrity and the immune system. Calves administered doses of Ala-Gln displayed an improvement in gain performance and health status concurrent with increases in blood CD2(+) and CD4(+) lymphocytes, the ratio of CD4(+)/CD8(+), serum IgA and IgG, intestinal mucosal s-IgA while decreasing the occurrence of diarrhea. Moreover, we found that animals given the effective dose (1.01 g/kg×d(-1)) of Ala-Gln resulted in improved immune status and intestinal integrity relative to those given a lower (0.49 g/kg×d(-1)) or higher dose (1.99 g/kg×d(-1)) of Ala-Gln. These findings suggest that maintaining a certain concentration of plasma and/or tissue glutamine in the early stages of weaning is an effective alternative approach for improvement of growth performance in early-wean calves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Ningxia University, 489 W. Helanshan Road, Xixia District, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750021, PR China. yxzhou6789@gmail.com
authors.forename: Yuxiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Peisong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guangcun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dexun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio / Q000662:veterinary; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005973:Glutamine / Q000097:blood; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007422:Intestines / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D014886:Weaning; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004151:Dipeptides; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D005973:Glutamine; C054122:alanylglutamine