EFFECT OF SOME ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON IMMUNITY MEASUREMENTS AND THEIR GENE EXPRESSION IN RABBITS

Abstract

This study aimed to study the effect of season and age and their interaction on productive traits, oxidative profile, metabolic rate and immunity parameters as response to “Pasteurella” vaccine. Study was carried out in Sakha Breeding Station (Kafr El sheikh Governorate), Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt. This work continued for four seasons; Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. Also, immunity parameters studied as response to “Pasteurella” vaccine during four seasons in 20 rabbits each season. Twenty rabbits divided 2 groups first group; rabbits injected by vaccine (Pasteurella) at 8 and 10 weeks of age, in second group rabbits injected by saline at same ages. In each season 15 rabbits were sacrificed from 2 groups at 8, 10 and 12 weeks to take the spleen for assaying the gene expression. Our results showed the analyses of individual bunny weights in winter are higher than other season. Average daily gain and daily feed intake from the 6th to 12th week were 23.7 and 85.9, respectively. The period of the year is heat stress has adversely effects on the daily gain and daily feed intake from the 6 to 12 weeks and was significant (p<0.05). Hydrogen Peroxide was significantly affected by season while Malondialdehyde and glutathione S-transferase (GST) was not different significantly. Mean plasma glucose concentrations were not significantly different as affected by season. Triglycerides were higher (P< 0·05) in rabbits during summer. From summer to spring season, urea values gradually significant increase in rabbits. Vaccination with Pasteurella multocida (P.m.) led to an increase in gene expression for Interleukin-6 (IL-6) an up regulation (1.0 to 0.78 fold) of compared to the