Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-cphqk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-11T11:47:22.177Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Immune development in the gastrointestinal tract of the pig

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

C. R. Stokes ,
M. A. Vega-Lopez ,
M. Bailey ,
E. Telemo  and
B. G. Miller
C. R. Stokes
Affiliation:
Departments of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS18 7DU
M. A. Vega-Lopez
Affiliation:
Departments of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS18 7DU
M. Bailey
Affiliation:
Departments of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS18 7DU
E. Telemo
Affiliation:
Departments of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS18 7DU
B. G. Miller
Affiliation:
Departments of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS18 7DU
Get access

Abstract

The epitheliochorial placenta of the pig does not allow the passage of immunoglobulin to the foetus and thus the young piglet is born without passive immune protection. During the first 36 h of life there is a massive transmission of macromolecules across the intestine, virtually all that are present in the gut may be effectively endocytosed and transmitted into the blood stream. The postnatal transmission of antibody from colostrum during this period provides the young animal with a spectrum of serum antibodies indistinguishable from that of its mother. It is established that even in utero the piglet is capable of mounting some response to antigenic challenge. Despite this, the ability of the young animal to respond may be influenced profoundly by the absorption of macromolecules (antibodies and antigens in colostrum and in sow's milk as well as antigens in the farrowing house) during the first hours after birth. These effects range from passive protection from infectious agents during the neonatal period to determining the precise nature of the immune response to antigens during later periods (e.g. at weaning).

At birth all cellular components of the immune system are represented but during the first few weeks of life dramatic changes occur in the number and distribution of these cells. Our histological studies have shown that shortly after birth the predominant T lymphocytes in the small intestine are T2+, T4− and T8−; whilst in other organs there are large numbers of conventional T4+ and T8+ cells. By 1 week of age there is a dramatic increase in the numbers of T4+ cells, whilst T8+ cells remain low, and only start to increase by week 7. Thus, changes in lymphocyte populations are occurring concurrent with increasing exposure to environmental antigens. The functional capacity of these cells also changes during this period and this process may be particularly affected by early weaning.

During the neonatal period an animal is presented with a vast array of antigenic material for the first time. How and when these antigens are presented may profoundly influence the capacity of the immune system to respond to them.

Type
Research Article
Information
BSAP Occasional Publication , Volume 15 , 1992 , pp. 9 - 12
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Production 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bailey, M., Clarke, C. J., Wilson, A. D., Williams, N. A. and Stokes, C. R. 1992. Depressed potential for IL-2 production following early weaning of piglets. International Archives of Allergy and Applied Immunology In Press.Google Scholar
Bailey, M., Miller, B., Telemo, E. and Stokes, C. R. 1990. Altered responsiveness to fed or injected proteins in piglets given antigen at birth. In Advances in mucosal immunology (ed. Macdonald, T. T. et al.) pp. 262–264.Google Scholar
Binns, R. M. 1973. Cellular immunology in the pig. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine 66: 1155–1160.Google Scholar
Bourne, F. J. 1977. The mammary gland and neonatal immunity. Veterinary Science Communications 1: 141–151.Google Scholar
Bourne, F. J. and Curtis, J. 1973. The transfer of immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM from serum to colostrum and milk. Immunology 24: 157–162.Google ScholarPubMed
Brown, P. J. and Bourne, F. J. 1976. Development of immunoglobulin containing cell populations in intestine, spleen, and mesenteric lymph node of the young pig, as demonstrated by peroxidase conjugated antisera. American journal of Veterinary Research 37: 1309–1314.Google Scholar
Evans, P. A., Newby, T. J., Stokes, C. R. and Bourne, F. J. 1982. A study of cells in the mammary secretions of sows. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 3: 515–527.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCauley, I. and Hartmann, P. E. 1984. Changes in piglet leucocytes, B lymphocytes and plasma Cortisol from birth to three weeks after weaning. Research in Veterinary Science 37: 234–241.Google Scholar
Miller, B. G., James, P. S., Smith, M. W. and Bourne, F. J. 1986. Effect of weaning on the capacity of pig intestinal villi to digest and absorb nutrients. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 107: 579–589.Google Scholar
Miller, B. G., Newby, T. J., Stokes, C. R. and Bourne, F. J. 1984. Influence of diet on postweaning malabsorption and diarrhoea in the pig. Research in Veterinary Science 36: 187–193.Google Scholar
Newby, T. J., Stokes, C. R. and Bourne, F. J. 1982. Immunological activities of milk. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 3: 67–94.Google Scholar
Pabst, R., Geist, M., Rothkötter, H. J. and Fritz, F. J. 1988. Postnatal development and lymphocyte production of jejunal and ileal Peyer's patches in normal and gnotobiotic pigs. Immunology 64: 539–544.Google Scholar
Rothkötter, H. J. and Pabst, R. 1989. Lymphocyte subsets in jejunal and ileal Peyer's patches of normal and gnotobiotic minipigs. Immunology 67:103–108.Google Scholar
Rothkötter, H. J., Ulrich, H. and Pabst, R. 1991. The postnatal development of gut lamina propria lymphocytes: number, proliferation, and T and B cell subsets in conventional and germ-free pigs. Pediatric Research 29: 237–242.Google Scholar
Sterzl, J. and Silverstein, A. M. 1967. Developmental aspects of immunity. Advances in Immunology 6: 337–459.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Telemo, E., Bailey, M., Miller, B. G., Stokes, C. R. and Bourne, F. J. 1991. Dietary handling by mother and offspring. Scandinavian Journal of Immunology 34: 689–696.Google Scholar
Vega-Lopez, M. A. 1991. Immune development in the young pig. PhD. Thesis, University of Bristol.Google Scholar
Wilson, A. D., Stokes, C. R. and Bourne, F. J. 1986. Responses of intraepithelial lymphocytes to t cell mitogens: a comparison between murine and porcine responses. Immunology 58: 621–625.Google Scholar