IN-VIVO MODULATING EFFECTS OF BACTERIAL PEPTIDOGLYCANS ON PHA-INDUCEDRESPONSES OF PORCINE PBL AND SPLENOCYTES

The modulating effect of Brevibacterium divaricatum cell wall derivati ves, i.e. peptidoglycan monomer (PGM) and peptidoglycan polymer (PGP) on phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced responses of peripheral blood lymp hocytes (PBL) and spleen lymphocytes (SPL) from neonatal pigs farrowed to gilts or sows was tested. Both, PBL from progeny of sows and SPL f rom progeny of gilts responded significantly lower (P < 0.01) when PGM (14 mg/kg) was given by intraperitoneal (IP) route at Day 0 and Day 7 after farrowing as compared to the respective controls. When the same amount of PGM was given i.p. at Day 7 and Day 14, the responses of PB L and SPL from offspring of gilts were much higher (P < 0.01) than tho se of nontreated controls. The treatment with PGP (2.5 mg/kg) by the s ame route at Day 7 and Day 14 strongly stimulated (P < 0.01) the respo nses of PBL and SPL of pigs originating from litters of either gilts o r sows, respectively.