Changes of a non-specific defence mechanism in blood serum of piglets induced by prenatal and postnatal administration of alpha-ketoglutarate

Abstract:
The aim of this study was to establish the influence of alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), administered to pregnant sows from the 91(SI) d of pregnancy to farrowing, and then to piglets from birth to the 30(th) d of life, on lysozyme and ceruloplasmin activity, serum total protein content, and the WBC counts in blood of piglets, at the age of the 14(th) and 30(th) d of their postnatal life. The sows were treated per os with AKG at the dosage of 0.4 g/kg b.w. every day, whereas those of the controls were given saline. Piglets born by sows treated with AKG were divided into two groups: the first group was administered orally saline (AKG/PhS group) and the second group received orally AKG at the dosage of 0.4 g/kg b.w./d (AKG/AKG group), during 30 d of their postnatal life. Administration of AKG to sows during pregnancy increased lysozyme activity in piglets at the age of the 30(th) d, which reached the value 7.07 mg/L, while that in the controls was 3.90 mg/L. Ceruloplasmin activity decreased during the first 14 d of life in piglets that received AKG as a continuation of the prenatal procedure. At the age of 14 d, ceruloplasmin activity decreased to 90.96 IU/L in comparison with the 117.95 IU/L of the controls, while the level of total protein was higher (71.83 g/L) than that of the controls (64.23 g/L). There is still limited information about the relationship between exposure to AKG during foetal, and/or early postnatal life and altered postnatal immune function in piglets.