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The Influence of Regular Physical Activity on the Cell-Mediated Immunity in Pigs

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 30, pages 19–26 (1989)Cite this article

Abstract

The influence of moderate regular physical activity on the cell-mediated immunity was studied in growing pigs. Ten animals were subjected to physical training on a large animal treadmill, and 10 were kept in their pens throughout a 12-week experimental period.

Regardless of whether the pigs underwent training or not, a whole blood lymphocyte stimulation test performed at 3 stages of the experiment revealed an equal ability of the cells to respond to stimulation induced by pokeweed mitogen and phytohaemaglutinin.

The influence of serum from the pigs of the trained and untrained groups was studied in a stimulation test with purified mononuclear cells obtained from 2 healthy control pigs. The results indicated that no additional serum factors released by the physical training altered the blastogenic response of these lymphocytes.

It is concluded that moderate exercise should not be regarded as a stressor which alters the cellular immunity in pigs.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Swedish Council for Forestry and Agricultural Research.

The author wishes to thank Docent Caroline Fossum for scientific advice and critical views on the manuscript and Professor Sune Persson and Docent Birgitta Essén-Gustavsson for critical reading of the manuscript.

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  1. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P. O. Box 7018, S-75007, Uppsala, Sweden

    Marianne Jensen

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Jensen, M. The Influence of Regular Physical Activity on the Cell-Mediated Immunity in Pigs. Acta Vet Scand 30, 19–26 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548064

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147