Rat Immunoglobulins in Serum and Secretions: Comparison of IgM,IgA and IgG in Serum,Colostrum,Milk and Saliva of Protein Malnourished and Normal Rats 1

Abstract

Summary

Immunoglobulin levels in colostrum and milk of normal and protein malnourished rat dams and in serum and saliva of their offspring were quantitated by radial immunodiffusion employing purified anti-rat α, γ and μ. In general, no significant difference was observed in the level of colostral IgA in malnourished as compared to normal rat dams or in the level of serum IgA and IgM and salivary IgA and IgG_2α of their offspring. On the other hand, malnourished mothers demonstrated approximately twofold lower levels of colostral IgG_2α than normal mothers throughout the entire period of lactation. In addition, at every interval tested, the level of IgG was approximately 1.5- to 2-fold less in malnourished as compared to normal offspring.

The authors wish to thank Drs. Jiri Mestecky and Juan Navia for their helpful criticisms during the preparation of this paper. We are also indebted to Dr. Heive Bazin and colleagues of the Universite Catholique De Louvain for a kind gift of a rat IgA immunocytoma fraction and for helpful suggestions in the progress of these experiments.