IgG Concentrations Research Articles

Effects of supplementing colostrum beyond the first day of life on growth and health parameters of preweaning Holstein heifers

The preweaning period for a dairy calf is characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates, leading to financial losses for producers. Identifying strategies to improve the health and welfare of calves while reducing antimicrobial use continues to be crucial to the success of the dairy industry. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding colostrum replacer (CR) to dairy heifer calves beyond d 1 of life on growth, serum IgG, the incidence of diarrhea and bovine respiratory disease (BRD), and the risk of mortality in the preweaning period. At birth, Holstein heifer calves (n = 200; 50/treatment) weighing 40.7 ± 0.35 kg (mean ± SE) were fed 3.2 L of CR (205 g IgG/feeding) at 0 h and 12 h of life. Calves were then randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: 450 g of milk replacer (MR) from d 2 to 14 (control, CON), 380 g of CR + 225 g of MR from d 2 to 3, then 450 g of MR from d 4 to 14 (transition, TRAN), 45 g of CR + 450 g of MR from d 2 to 14 (extended, EXT); or 380 g of CR + 225 g of MR from d 2 to 3, then 45 g of CR + 450 g of MR from d 4 to 14 (transition + extended, TRAN+EXT). Each treatment was reconstituted to 3 L and fed twice daily. All CR treatments were fed using bovine-derived CR containing 27% IgG. From d 15 to 41, all calves were fed 600 g of MR reconstituted to 4 L twice daily. Body weight was recorded at birth and every 7 d until study completion on d 49. Blood samples were taken daily until d 7 to evaluate serum IgG and then every 7 d until d 49. A health assessment was performed daily to evaluate calves for BRD and diarrhea. Data were analyzed using mixed linear regression, mixed logistic regression, and survival analysis models in SAS 9.4. Serum IgG concentrations were not affected by treatment for the study period. The EXT and TRAN+EXT groups had greater average daily gain (ADG) from d 7 to 14 (0.14 kg/d) and the TRAN group had greater ADG from d 14 to 21 (0.11 kg/d), compared with CON. There was no association of treatment with the odds or the duration of a diarrhea bout. However, provision of CR to the TRAN and EXT calves was associated with a reduced hazard of diarrhea compared with CON calves. Furthermore, TRAN and EXT calves have a lower hazard of mortality compared with CON calves, with TRAN and EXT calves had a 2.8- and 3.8-times lower hazard of mortality, respectively. Our findings suggest that the supplementation of CR to dairy calves positively affects ADG, and reduces the hazard of diarrhea and mortality during the preweaning period. Future research should look to further refine the supplementation strategy of CR to calves and explore the mechanism of action.

Effects of the Fibrous Root of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Immunity, Antioxidant Capacity, and Intestinal Morphology of White-Feathered Broilers.

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of different doses of the fibrous roots of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua on the growth performance, slaughter parameters, meat quality, immune function, cytokines, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal morphology of white-feathered broilers. Also, the mechanism to improve immune functions of broilers was explored through network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. A total of 360 AA-white-feathered broilers were randomly divided into six groups (not separated by sex), with six repetitions per group (n = 10). The groups were as follows: basal diet (CON group), basal diet supplemented with 300 mg/kg aureomycin (ANT group), basal diet supplemented with 2%, 3%, and 4% fibrous root raw powder (LD, MD, and HD group), or basal diet supplemented with 3% fibrous root processed powder (PR group), in a 42-day experiment. The dietary inclusion of P. cyrtonema fibrous roots increased slaughter performance (p < 0.05), reduced the fat rate (p < 0.05), improved intestinal morphology (p < 0.05), and improved the immune organ index to varying degrees. It also significantly improved pH reduction, drip loss, and pressure loss of breast muscle and leg muscle (p < 0.05). Furthermore, it significantly improved immune and antioxidant functions including decreased MDA content of serum (p < 0.01), increased GSH-Px content (p < 0.01), IgG, IgA, and C4 contents (p < 0.05), and increased expression of IL-2 and IFN-γ (p < 0.01). Additionally, the mechanism by which fibrous roots improve immune function in broilers was explored using network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. Network pharmacology and molecular docking revealed that flavonoids such as baicalein, 4',5-Dihydroxyflavone, 5,7-dihydroxy-6,8-dimethyl-3-(4'-hydroxybenzyl)-chroman-4-one, and 5,7-dihydroxy-3-(2'-hydroxy-4'-methoxybenzyl)-6,8-dimethyl-chroman-4-one were key components that enhanced immune function through the MAPK1 and other key targets involved in regulating the MAPK signaling pathway. From the findings, it can be concluded that incorporating P. cyrtonema Hua fibrous root as a natural feed supplement and growth promoter in broiler diets had a positive impact on bird health and performance.

Effect of Alkaline Mineral Complex Buffer Supplementation on Rumen Fermentation, Rumen Microbiota and Rumen Epithelial Transcriptome of Newborn Calves

Alkaline mineral complex buffer can improve rumen fermentation and affect the rumen microbiota of dairy cows. Here, we studied the effects of alkaline mineral complex buffer on serum immunity indexes, rumen fermentation and the microbiota of newborn calves. We also investigated changes in the rumen epithelial transcriptome expression profile. Compared with the control group, at 15 d, the serum contents of TP and GLB in the treatment group increased significantly (p &lt; 0.05). At 30 d, the serum contents of GLB in the treatment group increased significantly (p &lt; 0.05). At 45 d, the serum contents of IgG in the treatment group increased significantly (p &lt; 0.05). At 60 d, the serum contents of TP and IgG in the treatment group increased significantly (p &lt; 0.05). Rumen pH in the treatment groups was significantly increased at different days of age (p &lt; 0.05). The microbial community composition in the rumen was determined using bacterial and archaeal 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene amplicon-sequencing. Analysis of bacterial composition in the rumen showed that there was no significant difference in bacterial diversity (p &gt; 0.05). At the phylum level, Firmicutes were significantly decreased and Bacteroidetes were significantly increased in the treatment group at 30 d (p &lt; 0.05). At the genus level, Prevotella_1, Olsenella, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group were significantly increased, and Lachnospiraceae_NK3A20_group, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014 and Ruminococcus_2 were significantly decreased in the treatment group at 30 d (p &lt; 0.05). Christensenellaceae_R-7_group was significantly increased in the treatment group (p &lt; 0.05) at 45 d. Prevotella_9 was significantly decreased, and Prevotellaceae_UCG_001, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group were significantly increased in the treatment group at 60 d (p &lt; 0.05). RNA sequence analysis of the rumen epithelium showed that 232 differentially expressed genes were screened, of which 158 were upregulated and 74 were downregulated. The main enrichment pathway was related to immune regulation. In conclusion, alkaline mineral complex buffer can enhance the body’s immune response, regulate rumen fermentation by regulating the abundance of rumen microbiota and upregulate immune-related genes in rumen tissues to promote immune regulation. The results of this study provide a reference for the early nutritional regulation of newborn calves with an alkaline mineral complex buffer.

Euglena gracilis β-Glucans (1,3): Enriching Colostrum of Sow for Enhanced Piglet Immunity.

The effects of supplementing the diet of sows with βG-(1,3) derived from Euglena gracilis algae were assessed regarding quality and amount of colostrum as well as performance of piglets. A total of 120 sows (first (nulliparous) to sixth parity (multiparous)) from D85 of gestation until weaning were divided into two groups: the control diet group (n = 60) and the βG-(1,3) diet group (n = 60). Sows receiving βG-(1,3) exhibited an average increase of 870 g (24.9%) in colostrum production, leading to a 25.17% higher intake of colostrum by piglets. Furthermore, piglets in the βG-(1,3) group showed significantly superior weight gain of 34 g (50%) compared to the control group 18 h after birth (p < 0.05). Sows fed with βG-(1,3) produced colostrum with significantly higher concentrations of IgG (5.914 mg/mL, 16.16%) and IgM (0.378 mg/mL, 16.29%) than the control group (p < 0.05). Similarly, serum concentrations of IgG (13.86 mg/mL, 51.25%), IgA (17.16 mg/mL, 120.19%), and IgM (13.23 mg/mL, 144.78%) were significantly higher in sows fed with βG-(1,3) than in the control group (p < 0.05). Supplementing sows with βG-(1,3) derived from the Euglena gracilis algae resulted in increased colostrum production and consumption, along with greater weight gain in piglets during the first 18 h after birth. Additionally, both the colostrum produced by the sows and the blood serum of the piglets exhibited higher concentrations of immunoglobulins.

Transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy and unclassified syndromic immunodeficiencies are highly common in oesophageal atresia patients.

Due to the high rate of post-operative sepsis and other infectious complications, a routine immunological screening protocol has been initiated since 2015 in our paediatric surgery clinic for all patients admitted with oesophageal atresia (EA) and warrant a delayed definitive treatment. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the immunodeficiencies in EA patients, by comparing them to healthy age-matched controls. As a prospective cohort study, EA patients admitted between 2015 and 2022, who had their definitive operation after the newborn period (>28 days of age) were included. On admission, serum concentrations of IgG, IgA, IgM, lymphocyte subset levels, C3 and C4 levels, specific IgG antibody responses against hepatitis B, hepatitis A, measles, varicella zoster were evaluated. The patients were age-matched with healthy controls to compare the results and followed up until three years of age. If a humoral immunodeficiency was detected, intravenous immunoglobulin treatment was administered before major oesophageal surgery and during follow-up. 31 EA patients (18 M/13F) with a mean age of 13.3 ± 9.0 months were compared with 40 age-matched healthy controls. Mean serum IgG levels were found to be statistically lower than controls in all age groups (P < .05). Transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy (THI) and unclassified syndromic immunodeficiencies (USI) were found to be strikingly high, accounting for 29.0% and 22.5%, respectively, adding up to 51.5% of EA patients. This is the first study evaluating immunodeficiencies in EA patients found in the reviewed literature. More than half of EA patients that required delayed surgery had humoral immunodeficiency, so preoperative screening and immunology referral may improve patient outcomes.

Pseudotumor inflamatorio ocular asociado a IgG4. Reporte de un caso

IgG4-associated ocular inflammatory pseudotumor is a rare, non-neoplastic inflammatory process with an incidence of 0.28-1.08 per 100,000 people. The diagnosis of this pathology is one of exclusion, having to meet histopathological criteria, enlargement of a specific organ, and serious concentrations of IgG4. Treatment aims to avoid secondary complications. Clinical case: A 54-year-old woman with no previous re-ported pathologies, reports that for the past 6 months she has itching at the level of the eyeball and the left eyelid, suddenly and without apparent cause, in addition to decreased visual acuity and retro-ocular pain; this is why she asked for the evaluation. The physical examination revealed normal eye movements, left proptosis, pain on palpation, subconjunctival hyperemia, corneal opacity, absence of red reflex, and the left eye being more resistant to pressure in relation to the contralateral eye. The cranio-thoraco-abdominal tomography reported images at the left ocular level that were suggestive of choroidal melanoma without findings of metastatic activity. Enucleation of the left eye was performed. The specimen was sent to pathology which reported diffuse lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate positive for IgG4. Conclusion: Ocular IgG4 disease is a very rare pathology with non-specific symptoms and complex diagnosis. However, a quick and correct approach is essential to avoid complications.

Residual feed intake is related to metabolic and inflammatory response during the preweaning period in Italian Simmental calves

Residual Feed Intake (RFI) is defined as the difference between measured and predicted intake. Understanding its biological regulators could benefit farm profit margins. The most-efficient animals (M-Eff) have observed intake smaller than predicted resulting in negative RFI, whereas the least-efficient (L-Eff) animals have positive RFI. Hence, this observational study aimed at retrospectively comparing the blood immunometabolic profile in calves with divergent RFI during the preweaning period. Twenty-two Italian Simmental calves were monitored from birth through 60 d of age. Calves received 3 L of colostrum from their respective dams. From 2 to 53 d of age, calves were fed a milk replacer twice daily, whereas from 54 to 60 d (i.e., weaning) calves were stepped down to only one meal in the morning. Calves had ad libitum access to concentrate and intakes were recorded daily. The measurement of BW and blood samples were performed at 0, 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 45, 54, and 60 d of age. Calves were ranked and categorized as M-Eff or L-Eff according to the median RFI value. Median RFI was -0.06 and 0.04 kg of DMI/d for M-Eff and L-Eff, respectively. No evidence for group differences was noted for colostrum and plasma IgG concentrations. Although growth rate was not different, as expected, (0.67 kg/d [95% CI = 0.57-0.76] for both L-Eff and M-Eff) throughout the entire preweaning period (0-60 d), starter intake was greater in L-Eff compared with M-Eff calves (+36%). Overall, M-Eff calves had a greater gain-to-feed ratio compared with L-Eff calves (+16%). Plasma ceruloplasmin, myeloperoxidase, and reactive oxygen metabolites concentrations were greater in L-Eff compared with M-Eff calves. Compared with L-Eff, M-Eff calves had an overall greater plasma concentration of globulin, and γ-glutamyl transferase (indicating a better colostrum uptake) and Zn at 1 d. Retinol and urea were overall greater in L-Eff. The improved efficiency in nutrient utilization observed in M-Eff was paired with a lower grade of oxidative stress and systemic inflammation. L-Eff may have had greater energy expenditure to support the activation of the immune system.

PSXIV-30 Effects of Vitamin/Mineral Supplementation During Gestation in Beef Heifers on Immunoglobulin Concentrations in Colostrum and Immune Responses in Naturally and Artificially Reared Calves

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the impacts of feeding a vitamin/mineral supplement to beef heifers throughout gestation on concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig) in colostrum and in calf serum 24 h after consumption of maternal colostrum (Exp. 1) or a colostrum replacement product (Exp. 2). Angus-based beef heifers [n = 72, initial body weight (BW) = 380.4 ± 50.56 kg] were managed in an individual feeding system and randomly assigned to a basal diet targeting gain of 0.45 kg·heifer-1·d-1 (CON; n = 36) or the basal diet plus 113 g·heifer-1·d-1 of a vitamin/mineral supplement (VTM; n = 36). For Exp. 1 treatments began at the time of artificial insemination (AI) to sexed semen, and heifers becoming pregnant after first service AI (CON, n = 14; VTM, n = 17) continued treatments throughout gestation. At calving, heifer calves were allowed to nurse their dams and remained alongside their dams until weaning. For Exp 2. non-pregnant heifers were rebred 60 d after initial dietary treatments began and continued treatments throughout gestation, with resultant heifer calves (CON, n = 7; VTM, n = 7) being removed from their dams at birth and receiving 1.5 L of colostrum replacer containing 150 g globulin protein via an esophageal feeder, followed every 12 h by 1.9 L of milk replacer. In both experiments samples of colostrum were collected after completely milking the rear-right quarter of the udder. Blood samples were collected from calves before (within 2 h of birth) and 24 h after colostrum consumption. Concentrations of IgG, IgM, and IgA were quantified in colostrum and serum via bovine radial immunodiffusion plates. Data for both experiments were analyzed for the effect of treatment using the MIXED procedure in SAS, with additional analysis of data from Exp. 1 using the CORR procedure to determine correlations among dam colostrum and calf serum Ig concentrations at 24 h. In both experiments, maternal treatment did not affect (P ≥ 0.21) concentrations of IgG, IgM, or IgA in colostrum at calving or in calf serum at 24 h. All calves from both experiments had undetectable concentrations of these respective immunoglobulins at birth. Concentrations of IgG at 24 h in calves that received maternal colostrum were 2,595.8 ± 535.38 mg/dL (Exp. 1), whereas those that received colostrum replacer were 1,610.6 ± 335.09 mg/dL (Exp. 2). Concentrations of IgG, IgM, and IgA were positively correlated (r ≥ 0.34; P ≤ 0.05) with concentrations of calf serum IgG, IgM, and IgA at 24 h after suckling. Our results suggest that maternal vitamin/mineral supplementation throughout gestation did not impact Ig concentrations in colostrum or the resultant serum Ig concentrations in calves either 24 h after suckling or after delivery of a commercial colostrum replacer.

PSIII-5 Confirmation of Passive Transfer of Anti-Endotoxin Igy in Neonatal Foals

Abstract Passive immune transfer in a newborn foal is highly dependent upon the quality and concentration of immunoglobulins (Ig) in maternal colostrum, primarily IgG. Anti-endotoxin IgY derived from chicken egg yolks has been used in calves to reduce morbidity and mortality. Its use may provide additional pathogen-specific immune protection to neonatal foals, but passive transfer has not been confirmed. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify passive IgY transfer in neonatal foals given an egg-derived anti-endotoxin IgY supplement (Camas, Inc.) and identify effects on passive immunity. To test this, 5 neonatal foals were randomly divided into two treatment groups. Within 20 minutes after first nursing, the treated group (TRT; n = 3) was administered 40 g of the egg yolk supplement diluted in 50 mL water orally via syringe and the control group (CON; n = 2) was given isovolumetric water. At birth, physical measurements including BW, wither height (WH), hip height (HH), body length (BL), and heart girth (HG) circumference were recorded. Serum samples were collected prior to first nursing (h 0) and h 2, 6, 12, 24, 72, 168, 336 post treatment administration. Rectal temperature, heart rate, and respiration rate were recorded at all blood collection timepoints. Serum samples were analyzed for IgG, IgA, and IgY by commercial ELISA. Custom ELISA was used to identify endotoxin-specific IgY for Salmonella and E. coli at h 6. Western immunoblotting was used to confirm that passively transferred IgY was intact. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS. Vital signs remained within normal, healthy ranges and physical measurements at birth were similar for all foals (P &amp;gt; 0.26). There was an effect of treatment (P = 0.05), time (P &amp;lt; 0.01), and treatment × time interaction (P &amp;lt; 0.01) for serum IgY concentrations where IgY was only detectable in TRT foals and peaked at h 6 and 12, decreasing thereafter to h 336. Concentrations of IgG and IgA increased from h 0 to 12 (P &amp;lt; 0.01); however, there were no effects of treatment nor treatment × time interactions (P &amp;gt; 0.24) for either Ig. Western immunoblotting confirmed that IgY was transferred intact and custom ELISA identified IgY specific against Salmonella and Escherichia coli. These results confirm the intact passive transfer of IgY in neonatal foals when given an IgY-infused egg yolk supplement with no negative impact on passive transfer of IgG and IgA from maternal colostrum.

PSXI-5 Impact of Different Vaccine Formulations in Reducing Methane Production in Beef Cattle

Abstract Ruminants are the main contributor to agricultural emissions of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4), which is one of the main greenhouses causing global warming. The objective of this pilot study was to test the effectiveness of 4 different vaccine formulations (VF) on methane abatement in beef cattle. Two weeks before the start of the trial, steers aged between 9 to 10 months with body weights (236.57 ± 20,61 kg) were trained to use the GreenFeed (C-Lock Inc., Rapid City, SD, USA) system for methane measurement. At the end of the adaptation period, animals that best accepted the GreenFeed system were selected (n = 20) for the experiment. Animals were randomly assigned to one of four different formulations of vaccine treatments as well as a control group. Each treatment group had the following number of steers: Control/Untreated (UTD, n = 4), F1/OVA_ adj (n= 4), F2/Ag1_adj (n= 4), F3/pep1_Ag1_adj (n = 4), F4/pep2_Ag1_adj (n = 4). On day 0, vaccine was administered followed by booster injections on day 20 with 2mL injected intramuscularly in the anterior region of the neck both times. Through jugular venipuncture, blood was collected into a 10 mL vacutainer tube (Becton Drive, Franklin Lakes, NJ) to obtain serum on day 34 post-treatment to determine methanogen-specific IgA and IgG concentration. Rumen fluid (14 mL) was collected on pre-treatment (d0), and post treatments (d 20 and d 34) into a glass jar using an esophageal stomach tube connected to a vacuum and occurred pre-feeding to determine the relative abundance of total archaea and Methanobrevibacter ruminantium. Methane production was sampled on individual animals using the GreenFeed system pre-treatment (d -8 to -1) and post treatment (d 22 to d 29). The GreenFeed system estimates daily methane production (DMP, g/day) by measuring gas concentration for 3 to 5 mins on individual animals. Data were analyzed as one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s HSD post-hoc analysis. Preliminary results showed overall mean methane emission pre-treatment (165.853 ± 2.69 g/d) compared with post-treatment (192.164 ± 2.33 g/d) increased by 16%. However, methane emissions between treatment groups showed statistical difference (P &amp;lt; 0.001) specifically between treatment group F2 and F4. Serum concentration of IgA and IgG, ruminal relative abundance of total archaea and Methanobrevibacter ruminantium did not show significant difference (P &amp;gt; 0.10). From the results, vaccine formulation F2 and F4 showed effects in the methane emission between the treatment groups. Future research will consider increasing the vaccine dosage and analyzing more samples. This project was supported by HelixNano.

114 Effect of Timing of Dam Gestational Stress on Immune and Stress Responsiveness of the Progeny

Abstract Gestational stress may alter both the intrauterine environment and factors of passive immunity, which may affect the development of the immune system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis of the progeny. Therefore, the objective was to determine if gestational stress and the stage of gestation at which stress occurred (mid vs. late) differentially affected the immune and stress variables of the offspring. First, parity gilts received either hydrocortisone acetate (HCA) or a placebo for 21 days at mid (d 51 to 72) or late (d 81 to 102) gestation to create a chronic psychological stress model. After farrowing, four piglets were tagged from each mid (M-HCA; n = 12), late (L-HCA; n = 12), and control (CON; n = 12) dam and followed through a 21-day lactation and 28-day nursery phase. Samples were obtained at birth, 7-, 14- and 21-days post birth (PB), and 24 hours, 7-, 14-, 21- and 28-days post-weaning (PW). A subset of piglets, balanced for dam treatment, body weight, and sex, were subjected to an ACTH challenge on day 21 PW consisting of an injection of ACTH (n = 12) or saline (n = 12). Data were analyzed utilizing the MIXED procedure of SAS with repeated measures. A treatment*day effect occurred for neutrophil (P &amp;lt; 0.0001) and lymphocyte (P &amp;lt; 0.0001) percentages and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (N:L; P &amp;lt; 0.0001). At birth, M-HCA piglets exhibited significantly less neutrophil and greater lymphocyte percentages than L-HCA or CON piglets. By day 14 PB, L-HCA piglets exhibited decreased neutrophil percentages. They tended to have greater lymphocyte percentages than M-HCA or CON piglets. On day 14PB, L-HCA piglets had the greatest N:L. Other immune measures like IgG and IgA plasma concentrations were also affected (P &amp;lt; 0.0001 for both; treatment*day); M-HCA piglets had less IgG on 7 PB than their counterparts and tended to have decreased IgA concentrations at birth and 21 PB in than CON piglets. Stress responsiveness of the progeny may have been affected by dam stress during gestation. For example, when challenged with ACTH, a significant treatment*injection*time effect was found (P = 0.0004). The ACTH-injected M-HCA piglets exhibited significantly greater plasma cortisol 1-h post-injection than ACTH-injected L-HCA or CON piglets and saline-injected M-HCA piglets. Notably, L-HCA was the only group not found to have a significant difference between ACTH and saline cortisol at 1 h. At 4-h post-injection, ACTH M-HCA piglets exhibited significantly less cortisol concentrations than their saline counterparts, while ACTH L-HCA piglets were still significantly greater at 24-h post-injection than their saline counterparts. Overall, these data suggest that stress during mid-gestation may have more of an effect on immune measures. In contrast, stress during late gestation may cause a diminished or delayed stress response in the progeny. Research is ongoing to characterize these immune and stress phenotypes further.

PSXIV-11 Evaluating the Inoculating Bacterial Communities Within the Bovine Dam and Neonate After Applying an Ablation Technique to the Dam Vaginal Microbiome Prior to Parturition

Abstract The vaginal microbiota (VM) is the first contact of the neonate with microorganisms, which can attribute to neonatal health outcomes. The effects of an altered VM at parturition on neonatal microbial inoculation and passive transfer success has not been evaluated. Betadine lavages (BL) are commonly used to mitigate bacterial infections within the reproductive tract by ablating the VM. Ablation of the VM prior to parturition decreases microbial competition during neonatal microbial colonization, increasing the likelihood for pathogen inoculation. Thus, this study aimed to determine if an altered VM impacts neonatal and dam microbial inoculating bacterial communities in beef cow-calf pairs. Cows (n = 12) were randomly assigned to either control (CON) or BL (BLG) treatment groups two weeks prior to calving. Treatment BL was infused into the anterior vagina weekly until calving. Samples (dam-vaginal swab, dam-udder swab, dam-haircoat swab, and calf-nasal swab) were collected within 24 hours of parturition and stored at -80°C. The vaginal bacterial community composition was determined through sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene using the Illumina Miseq platform. Alpha diversity was compared via two-way ANOVA; beta diversity was compared via PERMANOVA. Taxonomic differences were evaluated using the LEfSe platform. Microbiota data were analyzed using the R software package. Serial BL prior to parturition did not alter the alpha diversity of the dam-vaginal (P = 0.42), dam-udder (P = 0.53), or dam-haircoat (P = 0.21) microbiota but did alter the calf-nasal microbiota (P = 0.03). Moreover, the beta diversity did not differ within the dam-vaginal (P = 0.66) or dam-udder (P = 0.56) between BLG vs. CON, but there was a trend within both the calf-nasal (P = 0.08) and dam-haircoat (P = 0.09) for BLG pairs to have increased variation compared with CON. Within the calf-nasal microbiota, BLG had increased relative abundance of Actinobacteria and a decreased relative abundance of Proteobacteria compared with CON. Interestingly, previously reported IgG data from this study showed there was no difference in passive transfer status between CON and BLG calves, represented by no significant differences in calf serum (P = 0.88). However, BLG dam colostrum had increased IgG concentrations compared with CON dams (P = 0.04). Together, these results are indicative of physiological insults (BL) prior to parturition leading to an increased immune response in BLG dams which altered colostrum IgG. Thus, neonatal colostrum consumption could drive immune responses against inoculating bacteria resulting in differing nasal microbial communities between BLG and CON calves. Overall, this research contributes to our understanding of the vaginal microbiota and its importance in neonatal health outcomes and highlights the need for further research in this area to better inform management practices for optimal calf health and productivity.

PSVII-27 Effect of Pre-And Postpartum Supplementation of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D 3 on Lactational Performance of Holstein Cows

Abstract Vitamin D supports several physiological functions, from mineral homeostasis to immune activity. The aim of this study was to provide 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] to late gestation and early lactation dairy cows and evaluate the impact on lactational performance. Holstein cows (n = 100) that finished their first or greater lactation were enrolled in a randomized block design with a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments (n = 25 cows per treatment group). Prepartum treatments were 0 or 3 mg of 25(OH)D3 per cow daily from 28 d before expected calving until calving. Postpartum treatments were 0 or 1.5 mg of 25(OH)D3 per cow daily from calving until 63 d after calving. Treatments were top-dressed at feed delivery using a cornmeal carrier. The 25(OH)D3 source was Hy· D100. Prepartum [30 IU/kg body weight (BW)] and lactation (40 IU/kg BW) rations also provided a basal amount of cholecalciferol fed to NASEM 2021 recommendations. Dry cows were fed individually, and group housed in a bedded pack. Lactating cows were fed individually, group housed in a freestall, milked 3x/d, and milk sampled 6x/wk. Data were analyzed by ANOVA with repeated measures using the MIXED procedure of SAS (v. 9.4). The model contained fixed effects [prepartum treatment (PRE), postpartum treatment (POST; removed for prepartum data) week, and their interactions] and a random effect (block). Prepartum dry matter intake (DMI) averaged 16.3 kg/d and 2.04% of BW, was not affected by prepartum treatment (P ≥ 0.89) and was decreased closer to calving (P ≤ 0.01). As expected, week after calving affected (P ≤ 0.05) lactational performance. Postpartum DMI was greater for cows fed 3-1.5 mg than those fed 0 to 1.5 mg (Table 1). Colostrum yield and quality were not affected by prepartum treatment (P ≥ 0.91) and averaged 5.7 kg with an IgG content of 75.6 g/L. Actual milk yield was not affected by prepartum or postpartum treatments. Interestingly, there was a carryover effect of prepartum treatment on yield of 4% fat-corrected milk (FCM) and energy-corrected milk (ECM). Cows fed 3 mg during late gestation produced more than those fed 0 mg. Postpartum treatment did not affect component-corrected milk yield. Providing additional vitamin D in the form of 25(OH)D3 to late gestation cows improved lactational performance by increasing intake and the yield of component-corrected milk.

Comparable Evaluation of Nutritional Benefits of Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus toyonensis Probiotic Supplementation on Growth, Feed Utilization, Health, and Fecal Microbiota in Pre-Weaning Male Calves.

This study was conducted to investigate the impact of probiotic supplementation using Lactobacillus plantarum DSA 20174 and/or Bacillus toyonensis ATCC 55050 on growth performance, blood parameters, hematological measures, and fecal microbiota in pre-weaning Holstein calves. Thirty-two four-day-old male calves with a similar genetic background, weighing an average of 38.27 ± 0.12 kg, were randomly assigned to four groups. The groups consisted of a control group (CON) without supplementation, a group receiving B. toyonensis (BT) at 3 × 109 cfu/calf/day, a group receiving L. plantarum (LP) at 1 × 1010 cfu/calf/day, and a group receiving a combination of LP and BT (LP + BT) at half the dosage for each. The study found that calves supplemented with LP and LP + BT experienced significant improvements in average daily gain and final body weight compared to the control group. The LP + BT group showed the most positive effects on TDMI, starter intake, and CP intake. RBC counts tended to be higher in the probiotic groups, with the LP + BT group having the highest values. The LP + BT group also had higher total protein, albumin, globulin, and hematocrit concentrations. All probiotic groups showed higher serum IgG concentrations. Probiotic supplementation led to increased total bacterial count and decreased levels of E. coli, salmonella, and clostridium. The LP + BT group had a significant decrease in coliform count, while both LP and LP + BT groups had increased Lactobacillus populations. In conclusion, LP + BT probiotic supplement showed the most beneficial effects on growth, feed efficiency, blood constituents, and modulation of fecal microbiota composition.

Cohort profile: recruitment and retention in a prospective cohort of Canadian healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeHealthcare workers were recruited early in 2020 to chart effects on their health as the COVID-19 pandemic evolved. The aim was to identify modifiable workplace risk factors for infection and...

SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination induces an intranasal mucosal response characterized by neutralizing antibodies.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccine-induced systemic antibody profiles are well characterized; however, little is known about whether intranasal mucosal antibodies are induced or can neutralize virus in response to mRNA vaccination. We sought to evaluate intranasal mucosal antibody production with SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination. SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG and IgA concentrations and neutralization activity from sera and nasal mucosa via nasal epithelial lining fluid (NELF) collection were measured in SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-vaccinated healthy volunteers (N= 29) by using multiplex immunoassays. Data were compared before and after vaccination, between mRNA vaccine brands, and by sex. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination induced an intranasal immune response characterized by neutralizing mucosal antibodies. IgG antibodies displayed greater Spike 1 (S1) binding specificity than did IgA in serum and nasal mucosa. Nasal antibodies displayed greater neutralization activity against the receptor-binding domain than serum. Spikevax (Moderna)-vaccinated individuals displayed greater SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG and IgA antibody concentrations than did Comirnaty (BioNTech/Pfizer)-vaccinated individuals in their serum and nasal epithelial lining fluid. Sex-dependent differences in antibody response were not observed. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination induces a robust systemic and intranasal antibody production with neutralizing capacity. Spikevax vaccinations elicit a greater antibody response than does Comirnaty vaccination systemically and intranasally.

Association of serum immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G antibody levels with different indicators of metabolic syndrome

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is an assemblage of biochemical derangements of glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and central obesity allied with implacable low-grade inflammation. Aims and Objectives: The current cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the levels of serum Immunoglobulin IgM, and IgG concentrations in subjects with and without MS. Materials and Methods: The study population included 50 adults with MS as cases confirmed by estimation of serum triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), Fasting Plasma Glucose, waist circumference, and blood pressure. Serum IgM and IgG levels were evaluated in cases and controls (from a healthy population), followed by statistical analysis, with the significance level set at P&lt;0.05. Results: The comparison of the serum IgM levels between the case and control groups revealed that the level was significantly higher in the former (P&lt;0.001) compared to the latter, but no statistically significant difference existed in the IgG values. Correlation analysis showed significant positive correlation of IgM with TG (ρ=+0.870, P&lt;0.001), waist circumference (ρ=+0.683, P=0.009) and negative correlation with HDL-C (ρ=−0.751, P&lt;0.001). A significant positive correlation of IgG with waist circumference (ρ=+0.889, P&lt;0.001) was derived. Regression analysis affirmed that statistically, TG (R2=0.768), waist circumference (R2=0.751), and HDL-C (R2=0.705) significantly explained the variance in IgM, whereas IgG was related to only waist circumference. Conclusion: The present study provides a novel perspective that IgM may be involved in the pathogenesis of MS in a population from eastern India, and the outcome suggests the association between IgM and MS may be through lipid metabolism disorders and obesity.

Protective immunity induced by DNA vaccine containing TgGRA35, TgGRA42, and TgGRA43 against Toxoplasma gondii infection in Kunming mice.

Toxoplasma gondii can cause congenital infection and abortion in humans and warm-blooded animals. T. gondii dense granule proteins, GRA35, GRA42, and GRA43, play a critical role in the establishment of chronic infection. However, their potential to induce protective immunity against T. gondii infection remains unexplored. This study aimed to test the efficacy of a DNA vaccine encompassing GRA35, GRA42, and GRA43 in inducing protective immunity against the highly virulent T. gondii RH strain (type I) and the brain cyst-forming PRU strain (type II). The eukaryotic plasmids pVAX-GRA35, pVAX-GRA42, and pVAX-GRA43 were constructed and formulated into two- or three-gene cocktail DNA vaccines. The indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) was used to analyze their expression and immunogenicity. Mice were immunized with a single-gene, two-genes, or multicomponent eukaryotic plasmid, intramuscularly. We assessed antibody levels, cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) responses, cytokines, and lymphocyte surface markers by using flow cytometry. Additionally, mouse survival and cyst numbers in the brain of mice challenged 1 to 2 months postvaccination were determined. Specific humoral and cellular immune responses were elicited in mice immunized with single-, two-, or three-gene cocktail DNA vaccine, as indicated by significant increases in serum antibody concentrations of total IgG, IgG2a/IgG1 ratio, cytokine levels (IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-12, IL-4, and IL-10), lymphocyte proliferation, lymphocyte populations (CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes), CTL activities, and survival, as well as decreased brain cysts, in comparison with control mice. Moreover, compared with pVAX-GRA35 + pVAX-GRA42, pVAX-GRA42 + pVAX-GRA43, or pVAX-GRA35 + pVAX-GRA43, multicomponent DNA vaccine with three genes (pVAX-GRA35 + pVAX-GRA42 + pVAX-GRA43) induced the higher humoral and cellular immune responses, including serum antibody concentrations, cytokine levels, lymphocyte proliferation, lymphocyte populations, CTL activities and survival, resulting in prolonged survival time and reduced brain cyst loads. Furthermore, mice immunized with pVAX-GRA35 + pVAX-GRA42, pVAX-GRA42 + pVAX-GRA43, or pVAX-GRA35 + pVAX-GRA43 showed greater Th1 immune responses and protective efficacy than the single-gene-vaccinated groups. These results demonstrate that TgGRA35, TgGRA42, or TgGRA43 are vaccine candidates against T. gondii infection, and the three-gene DNA vaccine cocktail conferred the strongest protection against T. gondii infection.

Rhodotorula mucilaginosa ZTHY2 Attenuates Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppression in Mice.

Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (R. mucilaginosa) can enhance the immune and antioxidant function of the body. However, whether R. mucilaginosa has an immunoregulatory effect on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppressed animals remains to be clarified. In this study, the R. mucilaginosa ZTHY2 that we isolated from the coastal waters of the South China Sea previously was prepared in order to investigate its immunoprotective effect on CTX-induced immunosuppression in mice, and the effects were compared to those of Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA) (a well-known probiotic). Seventy-two male SPF mice were divided into six groups: The C group (control); IM group (immunosuppressive model group) (+CTX); Rl, Rm, and Rh groups (+CTX+low, medium, and high concentration of R. mucilaginosa, respectively); and PC (positive control) group (+CTX+LA). After a 28-day feeding trial, blood samples were taken for biochemical and serum immunological analysis, and the thymus and spleen were collected to analyze the organ index, lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation, and antioxidant capacity. The findings showed that R. mucilaginosa ZTHY2 improved the spleen and thymus indices, effectively attenuated immune organ atrophy caused by CTX, and enhanced the proliferation of T and B lymphocytes induced by ConA and LPS. R. mucilaginosa ZTHY2 promoted the secretion of cytokines and immunoglobulins and significantly increased the contents of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IgA, IgG, IgM, CD4, CD8, CD19, and CD20 in serum. The proportion of CD4+, CD8+, CD19+, and CD20+ lymphocytes in spleen, thymus, and mesenteric lymph nodes were increased. In addition, R. mucilaginosa ZTHY2 reduced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increased glutathione (GSH), total superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) levels. Our results indicated that R. mucilaginosa ZTHY2 can significantly enhance the immune function of immunosuppressed mice, and improving antioxidant capacity thus attenuates CTX-induced immunosuppression and immune organ atrophy.

CLINICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA WITH ATOPIC DERMATITIS IN CHILDREN

This article presents the results of a clinical and immunological examination of 68 children with allergic bronchial asthma and 22 children with atopic dermatitis. The purpose of the work is to determine the concentrations of IgA, IgM, IgG to identify clinical and immunological features in the blood serum of children with allergic asthma and AD and to identify clinical and immunological features in groups of these patients. Methods. At the allergy department of the VDOCH, 68 children with allergic asthma and 22 children with AD aged from 4 to 14 years (of which 53 boys and 37 girls) were examined. All children were examined clinically and laboratory (complete blood count, general urine test, biochemical blood test, nasal swab for eosinophils, stool test for helminth eggs, scraping for enterobiasis), and a carefully collected medical history. Results and conclusions: Taking into account the number of acute respiratory infections in the history, we identified significant differences in these groups of patients (p = 0.017). The concentrations of IgA, IgM, IgG in the blood serum of the examined patients were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that 33.8% of children with asthma and 36.4% of children with atopic dermatitis have low IgA levels. We also determined low IgG concentrations in more than half of the examined patients both in the group with bronchial asthma and in the group with atopic dermatitis (58.8% and 59.1%, respectively), which, in combination with low levels of other immunoglobulins, can be regarded as transient immunodeficiency in children.