Proteins and Enzyme Activities in the Blood of Cows in Late Pregnancy and in Their Foetuses

Abstract

Bouda J., P. Jagos: Proteins and Enzyme Activities in the Blood of Cows in Late Pregnancy and in Their Foetuses. Acta vet. Brno, 48, 1979: 15-18. Experiments involving 20 cows in late pregnancy and their foetuses were conducted to study the total serum proteins and their fractions. Futther activities of GOT, AP, LDH and gamma-GT were measured in maternal and foetal plasma. The total serum protein of the foetuses amounted 42 gil and was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than that of their mothers. These low total protein levels in foetal serum were connected with low y-globulin levels amounting 1.1 gil as compared to 22.6 gil found in maternal serum. In the foetal sera higher levels of albumin and IX globulins were found. Immunoglobulins measured by the turbidimetric method in the foetal and maternal sera correlated with their y-globulin content. Activity of the maternal plasma GOT surpassed that of the foetal enzyme three times. The activities of maternal plasma LDH and y-GT were higher (P < 0.01) than those of the foetal plasma enzymes. On the other hand, significantly higher (P < 0.01) AP activity was found in the foetal plasma as compared to the maternal plasma enzyme activity. Blood, plasma, serum, albumin, CX-, {J-, y-globulin, Ig, GOT, alkaline phosphatase, LDH, y-glutamyltranspeptidase. Numerous experimental data have shown that the blood serum of newborn calves contains almost no y-globulin. As early as 1892 Ehrlich proved that the maternal antibodies are transferred to the newborn calf by colostrum. The postnatal development of animals with the syndesmochorial type of placenta is dependent upon the physiological and immunological condition of their mothers (Pi'ibyl 1963; Fey 1972; Logan 1977; Hajdu et al. 1977). The total protein amount and protein fractions in the blood serum of foetuses and newborn calves prior to feeding colostrum are substantially lower than those found in their mothers (Baetz et al. 1971; Boguth 1953; Piskac 1961; Barta '1962; Hojovcova 1965). Investigations into the foetal plasma enzyme activities indicated the GOT activity to be by about 50 % lower as compared to data for the adult cattle (Baetz et al. 1971). Similarly, lower GOT activity was found in calves prior to feeding colostrum (Maderova et al. 1960; Griin and Klotzer 1973). On the other hand, activity of the alkaline phosphatase in the foetal plasma was found to increase with age and to surpass remarkably the values found in the dams (Baetz et al. 1971). From the diagnostic point of view great attention has been recently given to y-glutamyl-transpeptidase (y-GT). No data concerning this enzyme in calf foetuses are as yet available. The aim of the present experiment was to study the relationships between the maternal and foetal serum protein levels, serum protein fractions, and plasma enzyme activities in cattle. Materials and Methods For experiments, 20 healthy cows of the Czech spotted breed in late pregnancy and their 8-9-month-old foetuses were employed. The average body mass of the foetuses was 32.1 kg ranging from 24.5 to 43.0 kg. The foetuses were extracted by Caesarean section at the Depattment of