Abstract
AbstractThe relationship between weaning stress-induced changes in stress hormone profiles and immune function was investigated in groups of 10 lambs immunized against adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH; treatment A) or fi-endorphin (treatment B) to reduce the circulating concentrations of cortisol and fi-endorphin respectively. Control animals (treatment C) were immunized against a porcine thyroglobulin carrier protein. Application of weaning stress was associated with significantly elevated plasma cortisol concentrations but no significant increase in fi-endorphin concentrations in C lambs. Immunization against ACTH suppressed the post-weaning increase in cortisol concentration. This was associated with a transient reduction in the lymphocyte stimulation response to keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) antigen in the A animals but there was no effect on the antibody response or interferon-y production by antigen stimulated lymphocytes. There were no significant effects of immunization against fi-endorphin on the capacity to mount antibody or cell-mediated immune responses. It is concluded that weaning stress-induced increases in cortisol did not inhibit the immune response. Since cortisol concentrations and the cell mediated immune response at 8 days after immunization were positively associated it is concluded that these indices are not independent measures of stress.
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