Immunoglobulin and peripheral B-lymphocyte concentrations in Fell pony foal syndrome.
Abstract: Fell pony foals are affected by a congenital fatal disease that leads to profound anaemia and immunodeficiency. Previous studies comparing healthy and affected foals have shown normal T-cell populations, but a severe B-lymphopenia. Objective: To measure the levels of individual immunoglobulin subisotypes in normal and affected Fell ponies and correlate these levels with the number of peripheral B-lymphocytes. Methods: Serum levels of individual immunoglobulin subisotypes were measured by ELISA and correlated with the number of peripheral B-lymphocytes (measured by flow cytometry). Results: Affected foals had significantly reduced serum levels of IgM, IgGa, IgGb and IgG(T) that coincided with the normal reduction in maternally derived immunoglobulin in foals and, with the exception of IgGb, correlated strongly with the B-lymphopenia. Conclusions: These data suggest that affected foals are unable to produce their own immunoglobulins. Therefore, once maternal immunity has waned, it may be the lack of specific foal-derived immunoglobulin that gives rise to the clinical signs of immunodeficiency. Conclusions: Measurement of IgM after age 4 weeks may provide a more accessible means of confirming the status of future affected Fell pony foals than the measurement of B-lymphocytes (a technique limited to a few specialist laboratories).
Publication Date: 2005-01-18 PubMed ID: 15651734DOI: 10.2746/0425164054406847Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research paper investigates the impact of a congenital disease on Fell pony foals, focusing specifically on the levels of individual immunoglobulin subtypes and the amount of peripheral B-lymphocytes, and provides evidence for the newborns’ inability to produce their own immunoglobulins.
Background and Objective
- The research focuses on Fell pony foals, who suffer from a congenital and deadly disease causing severe anaemia and immunodeficiency. Previous research has found a normal T-cell count but a significant reduction in B-lymphocytes in the affected animals.
- The main aim of this research was to measure the concentration of different immunoglobulin subtypes in healthy and affected Fell pony foals and establish a correlation with the count of peripheral B-lymphocytes.
Methods
- The research team used ELISA (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay), a common lab technique used to measure proteins in samples, to check the level of different subtypes of immunoglobulins in the serum.
- The number of peripheral B-lymphocytes was determined through flow cytometry, a process that allows detailed analysis of cells in a mixture.
Results
- Significant reductions were observed in serum levels of IgM, IgGa, IgGb, and IgG(T) immunoglobulins in the affected foals. These changes matched the expected reductions in foal-derived immunoglobulins, and except for IgGb, all were strongly correlated with B-lymphopenia – the reduced B-lymphocyte amount.
- The results suggest that affected foals cannot create their own immunoglobulins, resulting in the clinical indicators of immunodeficiency once maternal immunity diminishes.
Conclusion and Implications
- This research provides an accessible method for assessing the health status of Fell pony foals by measuring levels of IgM (Immunoglobulin M) after the fourth week of age. This method is touted as more accessible compared to measuring B-lymphocytes, a technique that requires specific laboratory expertise.
- The findings have important implications for the treatment and understanding of this significant disease in Fell pony foals. The ability to diagnose immunodeficiency earlier and more accessible may allow for more effective interventions and potentially life-saving treatments.
Cite This Article
APA
Thomas GW, Bell SC, Carter SD.
(2005).
Immunoglobulin and peripheral B-lymphocyte concentrations in Fell pony foal syndrome.
Equine Vet J, 37(1), 48-52.
https://doi.org/10.2746/0425164054406847 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZJ, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Anemia / congenital
- Anemia / immunology
- Anemia / veterinary
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- B-Lymphocytes / cytology
- B-Lymphocytes / immunology
- Case-Control Studies
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
- Flow Cytometry / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / congenital
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Immunoglobulin G / blood
- Immunoglobulin M / blood
- Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / congenital
- Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / diagnosis
- Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / immunology
- Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / veterinary
- Lymphocyte Count / veterinary
- Lymphopenia / diagnosis
- Lymphopenia / immunology
- Lymphopenia / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Tallmadge RL, Stokol T, Gould-Earley MJ, Earley E, Secor EJ, Matychak MB, Felippe MJ. Fell Pony syndrome: characterization of developmental hematopoiesis failure and associated gene expression profiles. Clin Vaccine Immunol 2012 Jul;19(7):1054-64.
- Fox-Clipsham LY, Carter SD, Goodhead I, Hall N, Knottenbelt DC, May PD, Ollier WE, Swinburne JE. Identification of a mutation associated with fatal Foal Immunodeficiency Syndrome in the Fell and Dales pony. PLoS Genet 2011 Jul;7(7):e1002133.
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