The objective of this study was to determine the applicability of the Migratest® kit for evaluating the chemotactic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils in goats. The experiment was performed on 14 goat kids aged 30±2 days, divided into two groups of 7 animals each: C - control group, and E – experimental group, supplemented with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB), a typical immunostimulant which influences the phagocytic activity of peripheral neutrophils. The feed administered to experimental goat kids was supplemented with HMB at 40 mg/kg BW, whereas control goat kids were administered standard farm-made feed without supplementation. Blood was sampled from the jugular vein immediately before the experiment (day 0) and on experimental days 15, 30 and 60 to determine the chemotactic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils in goats. The results of the study indicate that the Migratest® kit can be used to evaluate the influence of immunomodulators on the chemotactic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils in goats. The results of the assay are most effectively presented by calculating the chemotactic index which accounts for the chemotaxis or migration of neutrophils in the presence or absence of a chemotactic factor, respectively, and the percentage of granulocytes that migrate towards fMLP. The results of both presentation methods appear to be identical.
The aim of the experiment was to examine the effect of a diet enriched with Lactobacillus plantarum and/or β-glucan on the immune parameters in the juvenile tench (Tinca tinca). Fish were fed for 14 days different diets (phase 1 of the experiment), a dry commercial starter feed in the control group or the same feed supplemented with: 1% β-1,3/1,6-glucan in group G, 108 cfu L. plantarum g-1 in group L, 1% β-1,3/1,6-glucan + 108 cfu L. plantarum g-1 in group G+L. During consecutive 14 days all fish were fed the commercial feed alone (phase 2). The stimulating effects of the tested preparations was evaluated twice, at the end of each experimental phase. Dietary supplementation of β-1,3/1,6-glucan considerably improved the humoral innate immune response (activity of lysozyme and total Ig) and the pinocytotic activity of phagocytes. Supplement of L. plantarum improved the ability of the head kidney phagocytes (RBA) to carry out oxygen burst in L and G+L groups. A similar effect was observed for the killing activity of phagocytes (PKA) from the head kidney after the stimulation of A. hydrophila, and the effect persisted for two weeks after the commercial feed regime was resumed. A significant increase in the pro- liferative activity of B lymphocytes originating from the head kidney was observed in groups L and G+L. The study has revealed that the addition of the tested G+L synbiotic to dry diet stimulates the innate immune response mechanisms in the juvenile tench.