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The Effect Of Dietary Supplementation with Flaxseed and Probiotic Lactobacilli on Cell-Mediated Immunity in Weaned Pigs

Abstract

Probiotic bacteria as well as PUFAs belong to the well-known immunomodulators. In this work the effect of the application of probiotic lactobacilli in the form of probiotic cheese and flaxseed – a source of omega-3 PUFAs on the cell-mediated immune response in pigs was studied. 88 pigs were divided into 4 groups, where animals received during the period starting 10 days before weaning and lasting up to 21 days post-weaning: in the control group, a control cheese with sunflower oil, in group L probiotic cheese with sunflower oil, in group FA control cheese with whole crushed flaxseed, and in group LFA probiotic cheese with whole crushed flaxseed. The pigs were monitored for phagocytic activity, metabolic activity of phagocytes, proliferation of lymphocytes, proportions of lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood and jejunal Peyer patches (PP). The immunomodulating effect of the application of probiotics and/or flaxseed was observed mainly on the local gut level. While on the day of weaning there were found to be no significant differences in proportions of observed lymphocyte subpopulations (CD4+, CD8+, CD3+, CD21+) isolated from jejunal PP, on the 7th day after weaning significantly higher percentages of T-lymphocytes were noted in L and FA groups in comparison to the LFA group. In contrast, the proportion of CD21+ was significantly higher in the LFA group as compared to all other groups. 21 days after weaning the proportion of PP lymphocytes was similar in all groups. The expected suppression of lymphocyte numbers and proliferation by flaxseed was not confirmed. Only phagocytic activity was inhibited after the addition of flaxseed, but the addition of lactobacilli eliminated this effect.

Dagmar Mudronova, Viira Karaffová, Rodomira Namcova, Viira Revajova, Sana Ganaarcikova, Janu Koscova, Thomas Casank

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