Abstract
BackgroundColostrum intake by newborn lambs plays a fundamental role in the perinatal period, ensuring lamb survival. In this study, blood plasma samples from two groups of newborn lambs (Colostrum group and Delayed Colostrum group) at 2 and 14 h after birth were treated to reduce the content of high abundance proteins and analyzed using Two-Dimensional Differential in Gel Electrophoresis and MALDI MS/MS for protein identification in order to investigate low abundance proteins with immune function in newborn lambs.ResultsThe results showed that four proteins were increased in the blood plasma of lambs due to colostrum intake. These proteins have not been previously described as increased in blood plasma of newborn ruminants by colostrum intake. Moreover, these proteins have been described as having an immune function in other species, some of which were previously identified in colostrum and milk.ConclusionsIn conclusion, colostrum intake modified the low abundance proteome profile of blood plasma from newborn lambs, increasing the concentration of apolipoprotein A-IV, plasminogen, serum amyloid A and fibrinogen, demonstrating that colostrum is essential, not only for the provision of immunoglobulins, but also because of increases in several low abundance proteins with immune function.
Highlights
Colostrum intake by newborn lambs plays a fundamental role in the perinatal period, ensuring lamb survival
Results from this study will contribute to understand the importance of colostrum on passive immune transfer and the lamb immune system development. In this experiment we have used an approach based on the analysis of the proteome of low abundant proteins in plasma from newborn lambs using the ProteoMiner® (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA, USA) technology that allows the removal of the higher-abundance proteins in the plasma, albumin, Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM, followed by a 2-DE differential in Gel electrophoresis (DIGE) analysis and protein identification using mass spectrometry
We evaluated the levels of IgG and IgM in nonProteoMiner® treated plasma samples in order to determine
Summary
Colostrum intake by newborn lambs plays a fundamental role in the perinatal period, ensuring lamb survival. Colostrum is the first source of nutrition in neonatal ruminants, supplying nutrients, but having a fundamental biological function, promoting immunoglobulin (Ig) transfer from the dam to the newborn. The absorbance conditions for intact proteins decrease during the first 48 h after birth, colostrum feeding must take place during this period [13] It has been described how feeding newborn ruminants with colostrum, with a concentration of Igs that is insufficient results in high mortality rates and low productive performances, with negative consequences for the economic benefits of farmers and breeders and severe consequences to animal welfare [14,15]
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