SPIRULINA-PLATENSIS EXPOSURE ENHANCES MACROPHAGE PHAGOCYTIC FUNCTION IN CATS

Bronchoalveolar lavage macrophages isolated from cats were cultured on glass coverslips. Macrophages were exposed to a water-soluble extract of Spirulina platensis in concentration range of 0 to 60 mu g per mL for two hours. Spirulina-extract exposure did not cause significant ma crophage cytotoxicity over untreated control cultures. Macrophage mono layers from treated and control cultures were incubated with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) as well as viable Escherichia coli. The percentage s of phagocytic macrophages for both of these particulate antigens wer e higher (a two-fold increase in SRBC phagocytosis and over 10% increa se in Escherichia coli uptake) in cultures treated with various concen trations of Spirulina-extract. However, the numbers of either types of particles internalized by phagocytic macrophage were not different be tween the control and treated cultures. These data which showed that S pirulina platensis extract enhances macrophage phagocytic function imp ly that dietary Spirulina supplementation may improve the disease resi stance potential in cats.