Figure 1

OVA-specific humoral immune responses in serum from newborn lambs gavaged with OVA then i.p. immunized with OVA at 4 weeks of age. (A) Lambs (n = 4/group) were gavaged with OVA at day 1 (2.27 g OVA; Group A), on day 1, 2 and 3 after birth (0.23 g OVA/day; Group B) and for the first 3 consecutive days after birth as well as day 5, day 7 and day 9 (0.023 g OVA/day; Group C). All groups including the parenteral control group were i.p. immunized at 4 weeks of age with OVA in IFA. At 7 weeks of age, lambs were sacrificed, and spleens and lung lavages were harvested. Blood was obtained after 3 weeks, 4 weeks and at time of death. Kinetics of the anti-OVA serum IgG production are shown in (B). OVA-specific serum IgG titres were measured 4 weeks (C) after birth, as well as 3 weeks post i.p. immunization (D). Kinetics of the anti-OVA serum IgA production are shown in (E). In (C and D) each data point represents an individual animal and median values are indicated by horizontal lines. In (B and E), data are represented as median from each group. *p < 0.05.