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Daily Plasma Globulin Levels in the First Week Posthatch of the S. C. White Leghorn Cockerel
DAILY PLASMA GLOBULIN LEVELS IN THE FIRST WEEK POSTHATCH OF THE S. C. WHITE LEGHORN COCKEREL D. A. LIBBY, R. G. O'DELL AND D. F. FLICK Food and Drug Administration, Division of Nutrition, Washington, D.C. 20204 (Received for publication June 21, 1966) RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Our laboratory has conducted a series of studies to determine normal changes in the chick during the first week of life. During studies of various blood parameters, several changes were noted in the circulating proteins, particularly in plasma globulins. This preliminary report relates the results obtained on the plasma globulins within the first week posthatch.
The daily changes in the plasma globulins are shown in Figure 1. On two of the diets a substantial decrease of globulins occurred up to the third (Diet 1) or fourth day (Diet 2) followed by rapid increases on the following days. On Diet 3, a decrease in globulins also occurred, the lowest level being on the fifth day, followed by a slight increase on the sixth day. The data also indicate that on the seventh day there may be another decrease in plasma globulins, but whether this is a significant and prolonged decrease has not been established. These changes were accompanied by a rapid increase in heart rate, and a slight but consistent increase in plasma albumins. No striking changes were noted in the red blood cell count, hematocrit, hemoglobin, or erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The best growth rates were produced by chicks on Diet 3.
EXPERIMENTAL
Three separate studies with three different diets were conducted using day old S. C. White Leghorn cockerels. In each study the chicks were placed in batteries as one group and given feed and water ad libitum. Diet 1 (22.7% prot; 19.6% fat) is a corn-soya-midds ration. Diet 2 (30.9% prot.; 18.1% fat) is a purified ration used for bioassay of chick edema factor activity (Flick et al., 1963), and Diet 3 (26.2% prot.; 11.4% fat) is a prestarter type broiler ration. Six to eight chicks were removed daily for seven days from each of the diets. With chicks under light ether anesthesia, blood samples were drawn from the pulsating right ventricle into syringes moistened with heparin. Plasma proteins were determined by the method of Gornall et al. (1949) except that one drop of 1% aqueous dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (Aerosol1) was added to each tube as a wetting agent before the addition of ether. "Aerosol was purchased from Fisher Scientific Company as Aerosol(E> OT, solid, catalogue number A-349.
The preliminary findings in this report add further evidence that the chick undergoes normal changes in blood components during the first week of life which may make this animal particularly susceptible to certain types of exogenous agents. Regardless of initial levels, substantial reductions in plasma globulins occurred between the third and the fifth days. It is logical to assume that the plasma globulin pattern which is reported may be related to one or more of the following factors: a) depletion of egg proteins by the postnatal chick; b) incompletely developed hepatic enzymes involved in protein synthesis; or perhaps c) hepatic enzyme inhi-
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INTRODUCTION
1421
RESEARCH NOTES
E O
2.50
o o2.25 Q. CO
E
00
.75 o "1.50 < C/3
<
.25-.-.-.
No. C h i c k s 7 7 8
Diet I 2 3
3 4 5 DAYS POSTHATCH
Date Aug.'64 Sept.'64 Feb.'65 6
7
FIG. 1. Daily plasma globulin levels of chicks fed three experimental diets within the first week posthatch.
bition by the high liver lipid levels normally found in the posthatch chick liver. The latter two factors could result in a delayed hepatic protein synthesis and be manifested by decreased plasma protein levels. The fact that plasma globulin levels were altered more markedly than albumins may be an indication that these proteins are synthesized by independent mechanisms. Also, it may be that development of immunity (vaccination) is related to this critical period in the first week posthatch when hypoglobulinemia is found and which apparent-
ly is a naturally occurring phenomenon. Investigations are continuing into the factors which influence protein synthesis during the early posthatch period in the chick. REFERENCES Flick, D. F., J. Winbush and L. Friedman, 1963. Bioassay of chick edema factor—1962 collaborative study. J. Assoc. Offic. Agr. Chemists. 46: 406-412. Gornall, A. G., C. J. Bardawill and M. M. David, 1949. Determination of serum proteins by means of the biuret reaction. J. Biol. Chem. 177: 751766.
APRIL 17-21. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF NUTRITION, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
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DO
Our laboratory has conducted a series of studies to determine normal changes in the chick during the first week of life. During studies of various blood parameters, several changes were noted in the circulating proteins, particularly in plasma globulins. This preliminary report relates the results obtained on the plasma globulins within the first week posthatch.
The daily changes in the plasma globulins are shown in Figure 1. On two of the diets a substantial decrease of globulins occurred up to the third (Diet 1) or fourth day (Diet 2) followed by rapid increases on the following days. On Diet 3, a decrease in globulins also occurred, the lowest level being on the fifth day, followed by a slight increase on the sixth day. The data also indicate that on the seventh day there may be another decrease in plasma globulins, but whether this is a significant and prolonged decrease has not been established. These changes were accompanied by a rapid increase in heart rate, and a slight but consistent increase in plasma albumins. No striking changes were noted in the red blood cell count, hematocrit, hemoglobin, or erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The best growth rates were produced by chicks on Diet 3.
EXPERIMENTAL
Three separate studies with three different diets were conducted using day old S. C. White Leghorn cockerels. In each study the chicks were placed in batteries as one group and given feed and water ad libitum. Diet 1 (22.7% prot; 19.6% fat) is a corn-soya-midds ration. Diet 2 (30.9% prot.; 18.1% fat) is a purified ration used for bioassay of chick edema factor activity (Flick et al., 1963), and Diet 3 (26.2% prot.; 11.4% fat) is a prestarter type broiler ration. Six to eight chicks were removed daily for seven days from each of the diets. With chicks under light ether anesthesia, blood samples were drawn from the pulsating right ventricle into syringes moistened with heparin. Plasma proteins were determined by the method of Gornall et al. (1949) except that one drop of 1% aqueous dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (Aerosol1) was added to each tube as a wetting agent before the addition of ether. "Aerosol was purchased from Fisher Scientific Company as Aerosol(E> OT, solid, catalogue number A-349.
The preliminary findings in this report add further evidence that the chick undergoes normal changes in blood components during the first week of life which may make this animal particularly susceptible to certain types of exogenous agents. Regardless of initial levels, substantial reductions in plasma globulins occurred between the third and the fifth days. It is logical to assume that the plasma globulin pattern which is reported may be related to one or more of the following factors: a) depletion of egg proteins by the postnatal chick; b) incompletely developed hepatic enzymes involved in protein synthesis; or perhaps c) hepatic enzyme inhi-
1420
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on May 3, 2015
INTRODUCTION
1421
RESEARCH NOTES
E O
2.50
o o2.25 Q. CO
E
00
.75 o "1.50 < C/3
<
.25-.-.-.
No. C h i c k s 7 7 8
Diet I 2 3
3 4 5 DAYS POSTHATCH
Date Aug.'64 Sept.'64 Feb.'65 6
7
FIG. 1. Daily plasma globulin levels of chicks fed three experimental diets within the first week posthatch.
bition by the high liver lipid levels normally found in the posthatch chick liver. The latter two factors could result in a delayed hepatic protein synthesis and be manifested by decreased plasma protein levels. The fact that plasma globulin levels were altered more markedly than albumins may be an indication that these proteins are synthesized by independent mechanisms. Also, it may be that development of immunity (vaccination) is related to this critical period in the first week posthatch when hypoglobulinemia is found and which apparent-
ly is a naturally occurring phenomenon. Investigations are continuing into the factors which influence protein synthesis during the early posthatch period in the chick. REFERENCES Flick, D. F., J. Winbush and L. Friedman, 1963. Bioassay of chick edema factor—1962 collaborative study. J. Assoc. Offic. Agr. Chemists. 46: 406-412. Gornall, A. G., C. J. Bardawill and M. M. David, 1949. Determination of serum proteins by means of the biuret reaction. J. Biol. Chem. 177: 751766.
APRIL 17-21. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF NUTRITION, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on May 3, 2015
DO