Studies on the effect of cations on antibody stimulation in rabbits

Trace elements play diverse roles in maintaining body physiology but it contribution to immunity is not completely understood. This study evaluates the effect of the cations on rabbit challenged with Salmonella enterica. Thirty five female adult New Zealand rabbits were grouped into seven, 5 per each cation and were supplemented with 1 ml / day of single and double strength concentration of magnesium (Mg 2+), zinc (Zn 2+) and copper (Cu 2+ ) for 24 days, the control was not supplemented with any cation. All the groups were challenged with oral administration of 0.5 ml of 10 6 CFU / ml of saline suspension of S. enterica on three exposures on alternative days. Cardiac blood samples were collected aseptically from the anaesthetized rabbits. The Mg, Zn, and Cu supplemented groups showed marked decreased in leucocytes counts, the effect of Mg and Zn on leucocytes count was not concentration dependant but Cu showed a concentration depended effect. The effects of Mg and Zn on lymphocyte count was concentration dependent yielding 28.3 % and 47.7 % for single and double strength of magnesium, 23.7 % and 28.9 % for single and double strength of zinc respectively. Copper and Zinc yielded double fold increase in antibody titre with a reciprocal of 16 and 32 respectively. The findings suggest an immunological enhancing effect of these cations while zinc and copper have been the most effective in influencing the humoral mechanism. Key words: Cations supplementation, Lymphocytes count, Antibody stimulation, Immune responses