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Milk whey proteins in plasma of sows: variation with physiological state

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2009

Susan C. Dodd ,
Isabel A. Forsyth ,
Hugh L. Buttle ,
Michael I. Gurr  and
Raymond R. Dils
Susan C. Dodd
Affiliation:
Endocrinology and Animal Physiology Department, Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Hurley, Maidenhead SL6 5LR, UK Department of Nutrition, Institute of Food Research, Reading Laboratory, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT, UK
Isabel A. Forsyth
Affiliation:
Department of Cellular Physiology, AFRO Babraham Institute, Babraham Hall, Cambridge CB2 4AT, UK
Hugh L. Buttle
Affiliation:
Endocrinology and Animal Physiology Department, Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Hurley, Maidenhead SL6 5LR, UK
Michael I. Gurr
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Institute of Food Research, Reading Laboratory, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT, UK
Raymond R. Dils
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 228, Reading RG6 2AJ, UK
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Summary

The whey proteins α-lactalbumin and βMactoglobulin have been investigated as potential markers of mammary development in sows by measuring their concentrations in plasma. The whey proteins were isolated from porcine milk by gel filtration, ion-exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography, characterized by several criteria and used to raise antibodies. Specific radioimmuno-assays were set up for porcine α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin and validated for use in porcine blood and milk. Plasma levels of the whey proteins were measured in sows that were pregnant, suckling litters post partum, weaned abruptly at birth or were pregnant but mastectomized. Both whey proteins showed similar patterns in plasma post partum, falling from a maximum 1 d after parturition to values < 0·02% those in milk by day 4–5 post partum in suckling sows and showing a transient peak associated with early involution before declining to very low concentrations in non-suckling sows. α-Lactalbumin was first detected in the last week prepartum, rising markedly in the 3 d before parturition, correlated with rising prolactin (r = 0·986) and falling progesterone (r = –0·998). β-Lactoglobulin rose much earlier from 5 weeks prepartum, at the time when lobulo-alveolar mammary development is occurring, and correlated (r = 0·929) with oestradiol-17β. In mastectomized sows, concentrations of whey proteins in plasma were reduced by 90% or more when compared with intact animals, though following a similar pattern. This study shows that whey protein concentrations in plasma vary with physiological state and reflect aspects of the development of the mammary gland. The very different profiles for α-lactalbumin and β lactoglobulin prepartum indicate that they are differently controlled.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 61 , Issue 1 , February 1994 , pp. 21 - 34
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 1994

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