title: Passive transfer of maternal immunity in the dromedary (Camelus dromedarius), involvement of heavy chain antibodies.
abstract: In many mammalian species, newborns are agammaglobulinemic; thus, colostrum and milk are the main sources of early protective antibodies. These antibodies are produced in the mother's serum and transferred to mammalian glands a few days before parturition. Here, we have studied the transfer of immunity from a she-camel immunized with human serum albumin (HSA) to her calf via colostrum and milk. Our results show that HSA-specific antibodies are produced in the mother's serum and are subsequently transferred to her colostrum. These specific antibodies are then transferred by suckling to the calf. The calf serum did not contain HSA-reactive antibodies at parturition and before the first feed, after suckling, a rise in reactivity was observed peaking at 24 h postpartum. The involvement of heavy chain antibodies (HCAbs) in the process of immunity transfer was also examined, and it was found that they were also transferred from the colostrum to the calf serum like conventional antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Livestock and Wildlife Laboratory, Arid Lands Institute, University of Gabes, 4119, Medenine, Tunisia, salhi_imed@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Imed
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Salhi
authors.forename: Salma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bessalah
authors.forename: Sonia Ben
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Mbarek
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chniter
authors.forename: Mabrouk-Mouldi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Seddik
authors.forename: Touhami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Khorchani
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hammadi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000276:immunology; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D002162:Camelus / Q000276:immunology*; D003126:Colostrum / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains