Measurement of immunoglobulin G, A and M concentrations in boar seminal plasma

How the immune system relates to the boar reproductive tract is not well de fined. This is an important area of study because disease-causing agents ma y be transmitted through boar semen. We have previously identified porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in boar semen and wante d to identify PRRSV-specific antibodies within seminal plasma. However, lit erature documenting total immunoglobulin concentration or the predominant i mmunoglobulin isotype in boar semen was not available. Therefore, we develo ped a sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) to quantitate total IgG, I gA and IgM in seminal plasma from 16 healthy, nonvaccinated, adult boars (n =102 semen samples). In seminal plasma, Ige was the predominant isotype fol lowed by IgA and IgM. Mean levels +/- the standard deviation followed by th e 95% confidence interval of IgG, IgA and IgM were 23.2 +/- 14 mug/mL (15.5 to 31.0), 4.8 +/- 2.5 mug/mL (3.5 to 6.2) and 3.7 +/- 1.7 mug/mL (2.7 to 4 .7), respectively. These concentrations of immunoglobulins in seminal plasm a were considerably lower than in other swine secretions, which might allow for the survival of infectious agents in boar semen. (C) 2000 by Elsevier Science Inc.