| Evidence has suggested that Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) may be useful as an immunomodulator. The present study determined the effects of a synthetic glucocorticoid (dexamethasone, DEX) and IGF-1 on mitogen-induced proliferation and immunoglobin (Ig) production by pig lymphocytes in vitro. Blood samples were obtained via jugular venipuncture from male, crossbred pigs (45 days of age, n = 3/experiment) and peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained by density gradient centrifugation. Cells were plated at 1 x 105 cells/well in 96 well plates in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium/F-12 Ham's (50:50) containing 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum, 2 mM L-glutamine and 10 muM beta-mercaptoethanol. Cells were stimulated with Concanavalin A (ConA; 0 to 5.0 mug/mL), Pokeweed Mitogen (PWM; 0 to 200 ng/mL), DEX (0 to 10-6 Mol/L) and/or recombinant human IGF-1 (0 to 100 ng/mL). Cultures were incubated (37°C, 5% CO2) for 96 hours and lymphoproliferation determined using the Celltiter 96 proliferation assay (Promega, Madison, WI). In replicate cultures, immunoglobin production was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays specific for pig IgA, IgG, and IgM. (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
