Effect of age on absorption and immune responses to weaning or introduction of novel dietary antigens in pigs

Res Vet Sci. 1989 Mar;46(2):180-6.

Abstract

Pigs weaned at three weeks old absorb food protein antigens from the intestine. The amount of antigen absorbed declines over the next three weeks, and this decline is associated with an increasing level of serum antibody to the fed proteins. There was no difference in the rate of immune elimination of intravenously injected antigen in fed and unfed controls. The reduction of serum antigen is thus likely to reflect reduced absorption, possibly mediated by locally produced antibody. Pigs weaned at 10 weeks old also absorbed antigens and produced an antibody response when introduced to soya; and after three weeks of feeding soya the absorption of antigen was substantially reduced. This latter exclusion was specific for soya as a second novel protein (ovalbumin) was absorbed when introduced to the diet at this time. At six months, pigs no longer absorbed soya proteins when they were introduced to the diet. Furthermore, pigs of this age had serum 'antibody' to soya and other proteins such as keyhole limpet haemocyanin to which they had never been exposed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging
  • Animals
  • Dietary Proteins / immunology*
  • Dietary Proteins / metabolism
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
  • Globulins / metabolism
  • Glycine max
  • Immunoglobulin G / analysis
  • Immunoglobulin M / analysis
  • Immunoglobulins / analysis*
  • Intestinal Absorption*
  • Metabolic Clearance Rate
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Plant Proteins, Dietary / immunology
  • Soybean Proteins
  • Swine / immunology*
  • Weaning*

Substances

  • Dietary Proteins
  • Globulins
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Immunoglobulins
  • Plant Proteins, Dietary
  • Soybean Proteins
  • Ovalbumin
  • glycinin