Bouroutzika Efterpi, Ciliberti Maria Giovanna, Caroprese Mariangela, Theodosiadou Ekaterini, Papadopoulos Serafeim, Makri Sotiria, Skaperda Zoi-Vasiliki, Kotsadam Georgios, Michailidis Marios-Lazaros, Valiakos George, Chadio Stella, Kouretas Dimitris, Valasi Irene
Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece.
Department of Agriculture, Food, Natural Resources, and Engineering (DAFNE), University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Nov 5;11(11):3161. doi: 10.3390/ani11113161.
In this study, the effects of melatonin treatment on growth, redox status and immunity in prenatally stressed newborn lambs were evaluated. Thirty-seven newborn lambs were allocated into two groups (melatonin-MEL and control-CON), based on whether their mothers were treated with melatonin implants or not, respectively. All pregnant ewes were exposed to heat stress. The body weight of lambs was recorded at birth (L0), and then on days 15 (L15) and 40 (L40). Redox biomarkers [total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione (GSH), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)] were assayed in blood samples collected from lambs on days L0, L1, L2, L5, L10 and L40. Chemical analysis and antioxidant capacity were evaluated in colostrum and milk samples collected at the same time points with blood samples. Cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ) and immunoglobulin (IgG) were assayed in blood and colostrum samples collected from ewes on days L0 and L1, and in lambs' blood on days L0, L1 and L2. The results revealed that body weight gain of newborn lambs did not differ between the two groups ( > 0.05). Better redox status was found in MEL lambs until L2, as well as higher antioxidant capacity in the colostrum of MEL ewes compared to CON ones on day L0 ( < 0.05). In MEL ewes' colostrum, higher protein content was measured on day L0 and higher fat content on L1 compared to CON group ( < 0.05). The highest level of IL-6 was found in MEL ewes on L1, with a concomitant increase of IL-10 level in MEL lambs in comparison to CON lambs on L2. Moreover, CON colostrum resulted in a higher level of IL-10 within time, coupled with an increased level of IgG found in lambs' plasma on L2 ( = 0.04). This study indicated that melatonin could be administered as antioxidant and immune-modulatory regime in prenatally stressed offspring in order to cope with the crucial first days of their life. This effect of melatonin was also amplified by crosstalk between IL-6, IL-10 and IgG production, resulting in an improved quality of produced milk.
在本研究中，评估了褪黑素处理对产前应激新生羔羊生长、氧化还原状态和免疫力的影响。37只新生羔羊根据其母亲是否接受褪黑素植入物处理被分为两组（褪黑素组 - MEL和对照组 - CON）。所有怀孕母羊均暴露于热应激。在出生时（L0）、第15天（L15）和第40天（L40）记录羔羊体重。在L0、L1、L2、L5、L10和L40天从羔羊采集的血样中检测氧化还原生物标志物[总抗氧化能力（TAC）、谷胱甘肽（GSH）、硫代巴比妥酸反应性物质（TBARS）]。在与血样相同时间点采集的初乳和乳样中评估化学分析和抗氧化能力。在L0和L1天从母羊采集的血样和初乳样以及在L0、L1和L2天从羔羊采集的血样中检测细胞因子（IL - 1β、IL - 6、IL - 10、IFN - γ）和免疫球蛋白（IgG）。结果显示，两组新生羔羊的体重增加没有差异（>0.05）。直到L2，MEL组羔羊的氧化还原状态更好，并且与对照组相比，MEL组母羊在L0天的初乳中抗氧化能力更高（<0.05）。与对照组相比，MEL组母羊在L0天的初乳中蛋白质含量更高，在L1天脂肪含量更高（<0.05）。在L1天MEL组母羊中IL - 6水平最高，与对照组相比，MEL组羔羊在L2天IL - 10水平随之升高。此外，对照组初乳在一段时间内导致IL - 10水平更高，同时在L2天羔羊血浆中发现IgG水平升高（ = 0.04）。本研究表明，褪黑素可以作为抗氧化和免疫调节方案用于产前应激的后代，以应对其生命中至关重要的最初几天。褪黑素的这种作用还通过IL - 6、IL - 10和IgG产生之间的相互作用而增强，从而提高了所产乳汁的质量。
