The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine

Georgia Veterinary Scholar Program

Georgia Veterinary Scholar	Faculty Mentor

Jennifer Schuler University of Georgia Class of 2007	Dr. Michelle Barton

Quantification of Serum CD14 in the Equine Neonate using Western Blot Analysis

The majority of foals with septicemia concurrently suffer from failure of passive transfer of antibodies, mainly IgG. In addition to antibodies, colostrum has also been shown to contain soluble CD14 (sCD14), the major cellular receptor for bacterial endotoxin. Two different isoforms of soluble CD14 have been characterized in human serum with molecular weights of 48-kD and 56-kD. The PURPOSES of this study are to quantify sCD14 and IgG in the serum of healthy and sick foals by Western Blot analysis and Radial Immunodiffusion, respectively, and to correlate these values with the clinical occurrence of septicemia. The HYPOTHESES of this study are that serum sCD14 will be detectable only in foals that have obtained colostrum and that foals with low sCD14 and/or IgG values will have a higher incidence of septicemia. To test the hypotheses, serum samples were obtained from 10 healthy foals pre-suckle and at two days of age. For the “sick” population, serum was obtained from all foals less than 4 days of age at the time of presentation to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (n=111). Clinical data were obtained including blood culture results, clinical sepsis score and survival. For the Western Blot analysis, a novel IgY antibody against equine recombinant CD14 was used. Thus far our RESULTS have detected two distinct bands of sCD14 at approximately 48 to 55 kD and IgG concentrations of 2,921 mg/dl (± 245) in healthy foals post-suckle. Pre-suckle samples from the healthy foals revealed only the heavier band of sCD14 and IgG concentrations of 249 mg/dl (± 39). Large quantities of the lighter band of sCD14 were detectable in equine colostrum. IgG concentrations were significantly lower in the sick foals, compared to the healthy foals post-suckle. In the sick foal population, low serum IgG concentration was correlated with a positive sepsis score and a higher mortality rate. In CONCLUSION, the appearance of the lighter form of sCD14 in serum of foals after consumption of colostrum supports the hypothesis that this form of sCD14 is passively transferred from the dam to the foal via colostrum.