Abstract
BackgroundMelatonin regulates several physiological processes and its powerful action as antioxidant has been widely reported. Melatonin acts modulating the immune system, showing a protective effect on the cardiovascular system and improving vaccine administration as an adjuvant-like agent. Here, we have investigated the role of melatonin as an adjuvant of the Clostridium perfringens vaccine in prepartum sheep and whether melatonin modulates platelet physiology during peripartum.ResultsThe experiments were carried out in peripartum sheep from a farm located in an area of Mediterranean-type ecosystem. Plasma melatonin levels were determined by ELISA and sheep platelet aggregation was monitored using an aggregometer. Here we demonstrated for the first time that plasma melatonin concentration were higher in pregnant (125 pg/mL) than in non-pregnant sheep (15 pg/mL; P < 0.05). Administration of melatonin prepartum did not significantly modify platelet function but significantly improved the immune response to vaccination against C. perfringens.ConclusionAdministration of melatonin as an adjuvant provides a significant improvement in the immune response to vaccine administration prepartum against C. perfringens.
Highlights
Melatonin regulates several physiological processes and its powerful action as antioxidant has been widely reported
We have found that pregnant sheep serum melatonin concentration is elevated as compared to non-pregnant animals
The lack of effect of melatonin on platelet aggregation might be explained by desensitization of melatonin receptors after prolonged exposure to elevated concentrations of melatonin, as previously reported [27]
Summary
Melatonin regulates several physiological processes and its powerful action as antioxidant has been widely reported. We have investigated the role of melatonin as an adjuvant of the Clostridium perfringens vaccine in prepartum sheep and whether melatonin modulates platelet physiology during peripartum. Prepartum vaccination of sheep has been recommended due to the significant increase in lamb antibody concentration compared to lambs reared by unvaccinated sheep [16]. This manoeuvre has been found to reduce the frequency of fecal shedding of serogroup C1 salmonellae during the peripartum period [17]. We have investigated the effect of melatonin administration as an adjuvant of the C. perfringens vaccine administered prepartum on Treatment
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