Dynamics of T-lymphocyte lymphokine production from piglets with bronchopneumonia in response to non -specific mitogens <em>in vitro</em>

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the production of lymphokines by piglets' T-lymphocytes during the disease of acute nonspecific bronchopneumonia, in response to nonspecific mitogens in vitro. Blood from 3.5-month–old piglets of a large white breed was used as a model for the study (group 1 - patients with clinical signs of lung disease - underwent antibiotic and vitamin therapy in appropriate doses, group 2 - clinically healthy - intact were under observation). The functional activity of T-lymphocytes was evaluated in vitro, the level of lymphokine production in the reaction of inhibition of leukocyte migration (RTML) with nonspecific mitogens of T-lifmocytes - concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was taken into account before treatment and 7, 14 and 21 days after its initiation. In the first days of the disease, it was found that lymphocytes isolated from sick animals react differently to the introduction of concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin cells into the culture – the reaction in response to PHA is more pronounced. The percentage of inhibition of leukocyte migration in response to the introduction of PHA and KonA was the lowest for the entire study period on the 7th day of treatment, which characterized the highest production of lymphokines in response to both mitogens. From the 14th day, the production of lymphokines in both cases was not as active. This is due to the fact that at the beginning of the inflammatory process, T-lymphocytes actively produced lymphokines that inhibit the migration of leukocytes, which should contribute to the formation of a focus of inflammation and limit secondary alterations. After antibiotic treatment and relief of the inflammatory process, chemotactic stimuli acquire the opposite orientation, this contributes to the dispersion of immunocompetent cells from the focus of inflammation and is necessary for the adequate course of proliferative processes in the lung tissue.