Immunoglobulin changes in boars exposed to administration of levamisole and exogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone

The objective of this paper was to determine the effect of levamisole (LEV) on immunoglobulin concentration in the serum of boars exposed to 3-day stress induced by exogenous ACTH. Boars were assigned to 4 groups (n=7). The first group received LEV for 3 days (2.5 mg/kg BW), the second group received ACTH (10 g/kg BW) for 3 days and the third group received LEV for 3 consecutive days and ACTH for the following 3 days (2.5 mg/kg BW; ACTH 10 g/kg BW). The control group received saline solution during the 6 days. Concentrations of cortisol, total protein, globulin, albumin and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA and IgM) were determined during treatments and on the 16th day post-administration. Cortisol concentration was increased in both ACTH treated groups during all three days of administration and the day after the last ACTH treatment (p<0.05). ACTH increased total protein levels during the stress period and over the next 16 days (p<0.05). However, in the LEV+ACTH group total protein levels were elevated only on day 1 and 2 of ACTH injection (p<0.05) and after the end of treatment on day 11 and 22 (p<0.05). LEV stimulated the increase of protein concentrations compared to control values after LEV treatment, on days 5, 14, 18 and 22 (p<0.05). Serum albumins were not affected by LEV or ACTH treatment. Globulin concentrations were increased throughout and on the 16th day after administration of ACTH in the ACTH and LEV+ACTH groups (p<0.05). Globulin concentrations did not differ between LEV and control groups of boars. ACTH treatment elevated serum IgG concentration during the stress period (p<0.05) and over the next 16 days (p<0.05). However, in the LEV+ACTH group of boars, IgG levels were elevated on days 1 and 3 after ACTH injection (p<0.05) and days 1 and 5 in the post-treatment period (p<0.05). LEV had no impact on IgG levels compared to the control boars. However, increased IgA concentrations in boars treated with LEV were determined on day 2 (p<0.05) and day 11 (p<0.05) after administration of LEV compared to animals in the LEV+ACTH group. These results show that LEV application may protect boars from the negative influence of stress and provoke improved non-specific immunity.