Asociación Latinoamericana de Producción Animal (ALPA)
Abstract
Antibodies (AC) of the immune system play a role during gestation that has yet to be fully understood. The present investigation focused on the percentage of asymmetric AcIgG united to the lectin concanavalin A relative to total AcIgG, in blood serums and placental extracts of sows at different stages of gestation, utilizing the differential ELISA method. The 45 samples processed were of serum and homogenates of maternal (HoPM) and fetal (HoPF) placenta from sows at 30 d (n = 17), 65-70 d (n = 9), and 95–114 d (n = 6) d of gestation, and from 13 non-pregnant uteri (HoU). The difference between non-pregnant and pregnant sows in percentage (asymmetric AcIgG/total AcIG) in serum (38 ± 3 vs. 37 ± 2), was not significant, but there was a difference (P<0.01) between the two groups at 30 d and 95 d of gestation (32 ± 3 vs. 43 ± 3). As for percentages (asymmetric AcIgG/total AcIgG) in HoPM, the 65 gestation sows significantly surpassed all other groups and those at 95 d gestation were inferior to all other groups. High percentages (asymmetric AcIgG/total AcIgG) were found in HoPF throughout gestation 52 ± 5, 44 ± 3, and 47 ± 4 at 30, 65, and 95 d, respectively). It is suggested that these antibodies were of maternal origen and serve to protect the fetus from its mother’s immune system. We postulate that the presence of asymmetric AcIgG in serum and maternal and fetal placenta functions in regulation of the maternal immune response and is essential for a successful pregnancy