Immunoglobulin Transport during Gestation in Domestic Animals and Humans—A Review

Abstract

Maternal immunity is the main early defense against infectious agents in newborns. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is indispensable for immune defense against infectious agents. IgG is transported through either the colostrum or the placenta. Immunoglobulins are antibodies, and the five different classes of these antibodies are IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and IgE. Through their biological function of binding antigens, antibodies facilitate the removal of antigens from the body. The placenta is a temporary maternal-fetal organ, whose principal function is to allow the controlled exchange of metabolites between mother and embryo/fetus during gestation. The placenta types in different species are classified by the number of membranes separating the maternal and fetal blood circulation. Humans, lagomorphs and rodents have hemochorial placentas, which require a receptor for IgG transfer. In other animals, such as horse and pig (epitheliochorial placenta), ruminants (synepitheliochorial placenta) and carnivores (endotheliochorial placenta), antibodies are transferred via the colostrum and absorbed by passive diffusion. This review covers immunoglobulin transport in several types of placentas.

Serological and molecular investigation of hepatitis E virus in pigs reservoirs from Cameroon reveals elevated seroprevalence and presence of genotype 3

“…Poor conditioning of the samples would have prevented the detection of RNA in the samples of these pigs. Published studies have shown that humans and other animals including pigs transmit maternal IgG across the placenta and this may provide protection for some time, and may contribute to antibody class combinations being different depending on age [18]. There was no significant difference between male and female (P> 0.05), similarly to reports from Madagascar in 2013 [10].…”

Using serum and plasma samples to assess failure of transfer of passive immunity in dairy calves

“…Dairy calves are born without any acquired immunity because immunoglobulins cannot cross the placental structure of the cow during gestation (Borghesi et al, 2014). Calves rely on the passive transfer of IgG through consumption of maternal colostrum provided within the first hours of life (McGrath et al, 2016).…”

Differential susceptibility to tetracycline, oxytetracycline and doxycycline of the calf pathogens Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida in three growth media

“…It is suggested that future studies should examine the reproducibility of MIC / MBC testing with different FBS batches, possibly from different animal breeds, animals of differing age and in healthy versus diseased animals. The use of FBS is one means of ensuring that serum is not already primed for the organisms being studied, as antibodies are not transferred to the foetus, due to their inhibition by the synepitheliochorial placenta (Borghesi, Mario, Rodrigues, Favaron, & Miglino, ). However, a study by Reiche, Mülling, and Frey (), demonstrated that the degree of protein binding of chloramphenicol was greater in adult cattle compared to calves, highlighting an important consideration when performing studies in FBS.…”