Returning to the Wild: Restoring Natural Levels of Immune Function to Laboratory Animals
Journal Title: Journal of Applied Life Sciences International - Year 2017, Vol 14, Issue 3
Abstract
Aims: The loss of biodiversity from the human body, caused by cultural factors in Western society such as widespread use of sewer systems and water treatment facilities, has resulted in a propensity for aberrant immune function, leading to pandemics of allergy, autoimmunity, and other inflammation-related disorders. One approach to combating this problem is through artificial enrichment of the human biota with microbes or other organisms such as helminths. In this study, the extent to which immune function found in wild caught rats could be recapitulated by enriching the biota of laboratory rats was examined. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, from June 2009 to present. Methodology: Natural antibody levels against autologous antigen extracts were used as a quantifiable and reproducible marker for immune function, and laboratory rats were immunized to boost their natural antibody levels. Co-housing with wild rodents and colonization with helminths were used as tools for biota enrichment. Results: Three groups of rats with varying levels of biota composition were evaluated; wild rats (n=8), biota-enriched laboratory rats (n=15) and biota-depleted laboratory rats (n=20). Laboratory rats had approximately 33% of natural IgG and IgM levels compared to wild rodents. Biota enrichment in laboratory animals enhanced levels of natural IgG and IgM to similar extents. Immunization boosted the level to 47%, and co-housing with wild rodents coupled with exposure to helminths boosted the level further to within 72% of levels found in wild rodents. Conclusion: This study indicates that artificial biota enrichment in laboratory animals can significantly enhance immune function that is known to be important for cancer surveillance, wound healing, and a variety of other immune functions.
Authors and Affiliations
Daniel Ren, Dylan Beinart, Cindy Pi, Susan Poulton, Zoie E. Holzknecht, Chelsea Swanson, William Parker
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP318040
- DOI 10.9734/JALSI/2017/36983
- Views 78
- Downloads 0
Effectiveness of Kinesio Tape on Wrist Extensor Muscles in Children with Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injuries
Background: Obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI) is partial or total paralysis of the upper limb due to trauma of brachial plexus during delivery, wrist flexion is a common deformity that develops in children with Erb...
Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Analysis of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi Isolates in the North-East Region of Peninsular Malaysia between 2002 and 2009
Aim: This study was conducted to ascertain, retrospectively, the genetic diversity and distribution of S. Typhi strains in Kelantan, isolated from patients with acute typhoid, asymptomatic carriers and environmental samp...
Assessment of the Proximate, Some Essential and Heavy Metals Composition of Some Fresh Local Varieties of Fish Sold in Sabon Gari Market Kano, Nigeria
Aims: Comparisons of the proximate and heavy metal composition were made among some five local varieties of fresh fish sold in Sabon Gari market Kano, Nigeria. This is to ascertain whether such fishes contribute to the n...
Study on the Prevalence of Fascioliasis on Cattle Slaughtered at Minna Modern Abattoir, Niger State, Nigeria
Aims: Fascioliasis is a helminthic disease caused by trematodes of the genus Fasciola. This study determined the prevalence of fascioliasis on cattle slaughtered at Minna Modern Abattoir, Tayi village, Bosso Minna, Niger...
Physiological and Agronomic Performance of Domesticated and Wild Cotton Germplasm from Selected Regions of Kenya
Aims: Cotton (Gossypium species) occupies a prime position as a fibre crop of the world used for making cooking oil, soup and seed cake for animal feed industry among other uses. Performance of wild cotton germplasm in K...