Transfer of heterologous immunoglobulin into the uterine lumen of pigs.
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abstract
Transfer of circulating heterologous immunoglobulin G (IgG) into the uterine lumen of pigs has not been reported. The present study determined if ovine IgG (oIgG) could be transferred into the uterine lumen of pigs. Six gilts (nonparous female pigs) were injected i.v. with either immune sheep serum (25 or 50 ml) to porcine uteroferrin (Uf) or non-immune sheep serum (50 ml) on days 9, 11 and 13 of the estrous cycle. Serum was collected daily from days 9 to 15 and uterine flushings were collected at hysterectomy on day 15. An ELISA detecting oIgG was used to determine levels of oIgG in pig sera and uterine flushings. High oIgG levels in serum (ranging from 87 +/- 11 to 141 +/- 14 micrograms/ml) were maintained by injecting the gilts at 48 h intervals with ovine antiserum to porcine Uf. Serum concentrations of oIgG did not differ (P > 0.05) regardless of whether immune or non-immune sera or different doses of immune serum were injected. oIgG in uterine flushings (2 +/- 1 micrograms/uterine flushing) was detectable when the samples were concentrated 40-fold, but were lower (P < 0.01) than serum levels of oIgG (107 +/- 10 micrograms/ml). Results indicate that small amounts of circulating heterologous IgG can be transferred into the uterine lumen of pigs. However, passive immunization may not result in titers high enough to examine in vivo functions of proteins secreted into the uterine lumen of pigs.
