Neopterin and biopterin as biomarkers of immune system activation associated with castration in piglets1

Abstract

Recent reports have shown that stressful situations may affect the production of unconjugated pterins (neopterin and biopterin). The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of castration on neopterin and biopterin plasma concentrations in piglets, using 2 groups of 12 piglets allocated to castrated and uncastrated (control) groups. Pterin concentrations were determined by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Blood samples were also analzyed for leukocyte profiles and plasma cortisol concentrations. A time × treatment interaction (P < 0.05) was detected for neopterin concentrations, such that neopterin was greater (P < 0.01) at 1 h after surgery in castrated piglets compared with precastration concentrations, and neopterin was greater (P = 0.05) in castrated than in control piglets at 1 h. Castration had no effect on biopterin concentration (P > 0.1). Time effects (P < 0.05) for neutrophil and lymphocyte concentrations and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios were found. A time × treatment interaction (P < 0.01) was detected for plasma cortisol concentrations, such that cortisol was greater (P < 0.01) at 1 and 24 h after surgery in castrated piglets compared with precastration concentrations and was greater (P < 0.01) in castrated than in control piglets at 1 and 24 h. This study showed that castration activated the immune system of piglets as demonstrated by an increase in plasma neopterin concentrations.

Concentrations of neopterin, biopterin, and cortisol associated with surgical castration of piglets with lidocaine

“…Although biopterin concentrations were elevated at 1 h after castration in CAN and CWL piglets, they did not differ from those of SHAM piglets at the same time points. Modified concentrations of biopterin are in contradiction to our previous study, in which biopterin was not influenced by castration (Marsalek et al 2011).…”

“…The present study confirmed the findings of our previous studies (Smutna et al 2010;Marsalek et al 2011), in which the mean concentration of neopterin in piglets from control groups not subjected to stress or surgical castration was 18 nmol/l and the mean concentration of biopterin was 215 nmol/l, while the concentration of neopterin in adult pigs was significantly lower (5.22 nmol/l) (Breinekova et al 2007). There are no direct methods for measuring the intensity of pain (White et al 1995).…”

“…Neopterin and biopterin can be useful markers of acute stress in pigs (Breinekova et al 2006(Breinekova et al , 2007. Our previous study showed that neopterin concentrations significantly increased (Marsalek et al 2011). In this study, the use of lidocaine significantly modified neopterin concentrations at 1 h after castration.…”

“…Our previous studies showed that stressful and painful procedures may cause activation of the immune system and significantly change the concentrations of blood plasma neopterin and biopterin. The castration of piglets without anesthesia caused an increase in neopterin concentration after castration (Marsalek et al 2011), and transport to the slaughterhouse caused increases in neopterin and biopterin concentrations in adult pigs (Breinekova et al 2006(Breinekova et al , 2007. Neopterin and biopterin belong to a group of unconjugated pterins derived from guanosine triphosphate by guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase I (Brown 1971).…”

Neopterin and biopterin as biomarkers of immune system activity associated with crating in broiler chickens

“…Breinekova et al (2006Breinekova et al ( , 2007 observed elevated levels of both pterin derivates in the serum of transported pigs and concluded that pterins may be a useful biochemical indicator of immune system stimulation by short-term stress. Similarly, Smutna et al (2010) and Marsalek et al (2011) found elevated neopterin levels due to acute stress in pigs. On the contrary, clinical studies on stress in humans showed that glucocorticoids could cause suppression of cell-mediated immunity and consequently could result in decreased neopterin and biopterin concentrations (Atmaca et al, 2002;Kuloglu et al, 2007).…”