Adult Trichostrongylus colubriformis infection did not affect protein synthesis rate in whole-body, intestinal, hepatic and skeletal muscle tissues of lambs fed fresh Lucerne (Medicago sativa)

Abstract

The effects of an established Trichostrongylus colubriformis infection on the whole-body and fractional protein synthesis rates in the small intestine, liver, lymphoid tissues, skeletal muscle and skin were determined in lambs fed fresh Lucerne (Medicago sativa; 800 g DM d-1) on day 48 post-infection. Lambs were dosed with 6000 L3 T. colubriformis larvae for 6 d (n = 5) or kept as parasite-free controls (n = 6). On day 45, the lambs received a bolus injection of deuterated water to measure the size of the whole-body water pool. On day 48, the lambs were continuously infused with [3, 4-3H]-valine into the jugular vein and [1-13C]-valine in the abomasum for 8 h. During the infusion, mesenteric artery blood and terminal tissue samples were collected for measuring the isotopic activity of plasma water, plasma valine, intra cellular valine and protein-bound valine. Intestinal worm numbers on day 48 were higher (P < 0.001) in the infected lambs, however, there was no effect (P > 0.10) of parasitic infection on feed intake, liveweight gain, whole-body protein synthesis and fractional protein synthesis of most tissues. Key words: Parasite infection, protein synthesis, lambs