Comparison of efficacies of bovine immune colostral antibody and each immunoglobulin class against verotoxin 2, flagellum and somatic cells of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in mice.

PURPOSE: The efficacy of bovine immune colostral (colostral) antibodies against verotoxin (VT) 2, flagellum and somatic cells of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 in mice was determined. METHODS: Three major immunoglobulin (Ig) classes were isolated from the colostral antibody against VT2 by affinity chromatography and were used for estimation. Mice inoculated with VT2 were administered each Ig class from the colostral antibody, colostral antibody (colostral whey containing antibody) or serum antibody against VT2 at 1 hour after VT2 inoculation. RESULTS: All control mice (20/20) died after administration of sterilized saline instead of the colostral antibody. The survival rate was 93.3% (14/15) after administration of S-IgA or IgM antibody, or colostral antibody. Survival rates for IgG antibody and serum antibody administration were 80% (12/15) and 60% (9/15), respectively. Serum concentrations of VT2, which was absorbed from the small intestine in mice after administration of VT2 and colostral antibody, were measured by fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (FEIA). Serum concentrations of VT2 after administration of colostral antibody were lower than those after administration of sterilized saline. Mice inoculated with VT2-producing E. coli 157:H7 were administered anti-flagellum or anti-somatic colostral antibodies. Survival rates for E. coli O157:H7-infected mice administered the anti-flagellum and anti-somatic colostral antibodies were 52.4% (11/21) and 22.2% (4/18), respectively. Furthermore, survival rates increased to 89.5% (17/19) with combined administration of anti-flagellum and anti-VT2 colostral antibodies. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that colostral antibodies against VT2, flagellum and somatic cells are effective against E. coli O157:H7 infection.

Impairment of α(2)-macroglobulin synthesis in experimental hepatopathic rats treated with turpentine oil.

The aim of this study was to investigate the synthesis of α(2)-macroglobulin (α2M) in hepatopathic rats injected with turpentine oil to induce acute inflammation. Hepatopathy was induced by oral administration of acetaminophen at a dose of 1 g/kg daily for 2 weeks or a 25% solution of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) at 2 ml/kg body weight three times per week for 7 weeks. Acute inflammation was induced by intramuscular injection of turpentine oil at a dose of 1.0 ml/kg body weight. Serum concentrations of α2M were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and total protein differed significantly between acetaminophen or CCl(4)-induced hepatopathic rats and acetaminophen control (AA-control) or CCl(4) control (CC-control) rats. Furthermore, pathological examination confirmed hepatopathy in rat livers. Peak serum concentrations and area under the time-concentration curve for α2M showed significant differences between hepatopathic rats and AA-control or CC-control rats. Thus, serum concentrations of α2M did not increase when compared with nontreated rats.

The effects of interleukin-6 and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 on α2-macroglobulin production in rats.

We investigated the effects of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1) on α(2)-macroglobulin (α2M) production in rats. IL-6-rich and CINC-1-rich fractions were separated from serum obtained from rats 12 h after injection with turpentine oil using gel-chromatography. Sexual dimorphism was observed in the peak levels of α2M after injection of IL-6-, CINC-1-, or a mixture of IL-6-and-CINC-1-rich fractions. No significant differences in α2M levels were observed in males after injection with IL-6- or CINC-1-rich fractions and those injected with normal serum obtained from healthy rats (control). In contrast, serum levels of α2M, 6 to 120 h after injection of a mixture of IL-6- and CINC-1-rich fractions were significantly higher than in control rats. These results suggest that IL-6 and CINC-1 contribute to α2M production in rats only when IL-6 and CINC-1 act synergistically.

Kinetics of {alpha}2-macroglobulin and {alpha}1-acid glycoprotein in rats subjected to repeated acute inflammatory stimulation.

The kinetics of alpha(2)-macroglobulin (alpha2M) and alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AAG) in rats repeatedly stimulated with intramuscular injections of turpentine oil at doses 0.05 and 0.4 mL/rat were investigated. Mean serum levels of alpha2M peaked at 48 h after the first turpentine oil injection, reaching 1.74 and 2.36 mg/mL at 0.05 and 0.4 mL/rat, respectively. AAG peaks were also observed at 48 h after injection, and the mean values were 2.02 and 2.53 mg/mL, respectively. These peak values of alpha2M and AAG differed significantly between the 0.05 and 0.4 mL/rat injection groups. Mean serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) at 0.05 mL/rat were 52.61 pg/mL at 12 h, 48.86 pg/mL at 36 h and 81.93 pg/mL at 84 h after the first injection. Mean IL-6 serum levels at 0.4 mL/rat were 215.24 pg/mL at 12 h, 56.33 pg/mL at 36 h and 39.25 pg/mL at 84 h after the first injection. Mean serum levels of cytokine-induced chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1) at a dose of 0.05 mL/rat were 5.70 ng/mL at 12 h, 5.58 ng/mL at 36 h and 4.58 ng/mL at 84 h after the first injection. Mean serum levels of CINC-1 after injection at 0.4 mL/rat were 11.57 ng/mL at 12 h, 4.68 ng/mL at 36 h and 4.42 ng/mL at 84 h. Serum levels of IL-6 differed significantly at 12, 24, 72 and 84 h, while those of CINC-1 differed significantly at 12, 24, 48 and 96 h between the 0.05 and 0.4 mL/rat injection groups. Differences in peak serum levels in the 0.05 and 0.4 mL/rat groups were attributed to differences in the production of IL-6 and CINC-1, which are thought to contribute to alpha2M and AAG production.