Effect of catecholamines and thermal exposure on lymphocyte proliferation, IL-1α & β in buffaloes

In order to study the effect of catecholamines (epinephrine/norepinephrine) and thermal exposure on in vitro buffalo Lymphocyte Proliferation (LP) apparently healthy 2- 2 1/2 years old Murrah buffalo heifers maintained as per the standard feeding and management practices were selected from Institute herd. Jugular blood was collected in the forenoon on the day of experiment and processed for Total Leucocyte Count (TLC) and Differential Leucocyte Count (DLC). Lymphocyte proliferation assays were performed using whole blood and cells were incubated with epinephrine and norepinephrine (1, 1.5,2 ng/ml) at 37oC with 5% CO2. Cells were counted after 72 hrs of incubation and Lymphocyte Proliferation Index (LPI) was calculated. Thermal stress effect on the cultures was observed after exposure at 45oC for 4 hr after 72hrs of incubation. The cells were separated from media and media was used for analysis of IL-1&alpha; &amp; 1&beta; by ELISA kit. Lymphocyte proliferation Index decreased in responses to Epinephrine and Norepinephrine (P<0.01). Concentration of epinephrine and norepinephrine (1, 1.5,2 ng /ml) had no distinguishable effect on LPI. IL-1&alpha; &amp; IL-1&beta; levels when compared with control in supernatant (exposed to 45&deg;C) were low (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). There was a significant positive correlation between LPI and IL-1&alpha; (r=0.80; P<0.01) and between LPI and IL-1&beta; (r=0.78; P<0.05). The study indicated that lymphocyte proliferation in vitro and IL-1&alpha; &amp; &beta; levels were affected by catecholamines and thermal exposure. Further the levels of catecholamines had significant (P