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Mitogen Stimulation of Lymphocytes in Pigs with Hereditary Vitamin C Deficiency

Milogen stimulering af lymfocyter fra grise med arvelig vitamin C mangel

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 27, pages 486–496 (1986)Cite this article

Abstract

Recently an inherited vitamin G deficiency in the pigs presumably based on an autosomal recessive gene was decribed* Homozygotes are in contrast to heterozygotes and normal pigs unable to synthesize ascorbic acid. In an experiment comprising 3 littermate pigs, 2 homozygous and 1 heterozygous for the vitamin C deficiency gene, the influence of ascorbic acid depletion, and repletion on mitogen stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes was studied. Ascorbic acid depletion of the vitamin C dependent pigs resulted in a rapid decline in plasma ascorbic acid. Response of lymphocytes to stimular tion with Concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin M (PHA) decreased more slowly reaching a minimum, which coincidedi with the occurrence of the first clinical symptoms of scurvy. Following resupplementation with vitamin C the plasma content of ascorbic acid rapidly returned to normal, while the lymphocyte response to Con A and PHA stimulation only gradually approached the initial values. The repletion with ascorbic acid caused a transitory increase in the response to pokeweed mitogen (PWM) stimulation. The significance of these findings in relation to the cellular immune system in normal pigs is discussed.

Sammenfatning

Arvelig betinget vitamin C mangel, der sandsynligvis er betinget af et autosomalt recessivt gen, er fornylig beskrevet hos svin. Homozygoter er i modsætning til heterozygoter og normale grise ude af stand til at syntetisere askorbinsyre. Stimulering af lymfocyter fra perifert blod med mitogener blev foretaget hos tre grise fra et kuld, to homozygoter og en heterozygot for genet for vitamin G mangel, dels under askorbinsyrenmngel dels i en periode, hvor de homozygote dyr fik askorbinsyre tilført. Seponering af askorbinsyretilførsel medførte et hurtigt fald i plasmaets askorbinsyreindhold hos de vitamin C afhængige grise. Lymfocyternes reaktion på stimulering med concanavalin A (Gon A) og fytohæmagglutinin (PHA) aftog langsommere og nåede et minimum samtidigt med fremkomsten af de første kliniske symptomer på skørbug. Efter genoptagelse af vitamin C tilførslen steg askorbinsyrekoncentrationen i plasma hurtigt til normale værdier, medens følsomheden af lymfocyter overfor Gon A stimulering kun gradvist nærmede sig de initiale værdier. Samtidigt sås en forbigående stigning i lymfocyternes følsomhed overfor pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Disse funds mulige betydning for normale svins cellulære immunsystem diskuteres.

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Acknowledgments

Dr. K. Christensen is thanked for supplying valuable ideas and for helpful discussions. Miss Marianne Whither, Lene Kauffeldt and Mrs. Birgitte Holle are acknowledged for the excellent technical assistance. The study was supported by a grant from the Danish Agricultural and Veterinary Research Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Genetics, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Bülowsvej 13, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Birte Kristensen, Preben Dybdahl Thomsen, Birthe Palludan & Inger Wegger

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  1. Birte Kristensen
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  2. Preben Dybdahl Thomsen
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  3. Birthe Palludan
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  4. Inger Wegger
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Kristensen, B., Thomsen, P.D., Palludan, B. et al. Mitogen Stimulation of Lymphocytes in Pigs with Hereditary Vitamin C Deficiency. Acta Vet Scand 27, 486–496 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548128

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147