Ex vivo effect of yeast beta-glucan on lymphocyte viability and plasma IL-18 in weaning piglets
2010
Ganner, Anja | Nitsch, Sabine | Erlacher, Kathrin | Klimitsch, Alfred | Schatzmayr, Gerd
Beta-glucans have been considered as potential growth promoters due to modifying the immune system. The trial objective was to study the efficacy of beta-glucan on lymphocyte viability and plasma IL-18 of weaning piglets. Four experimental groups with the following trial design were included in the study: control group A without beta-glucan, group B, C and D with 100, 250 and 500mg/kg of beta-glucan, respectively. Blood samples of 6 piglets per group were taken on day 7 and 21. Lymphocytes were separated with density gradient centrifugation. WST-1 assay was used to determine lymphocyte viability and ELISA to quantify plasma IL-18. The beta-glucan preparation had an elevating effect on lymphocyte viability in doses of 100mg/kg on day 7 and in doses of 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg on day 21. IL-18 showed a slight increase on day 21 in all trial groups in comparison to the control. It can be concluded, that yeast beta-glucan might be used as an immunomodulating agent.
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