Nutritional sensitivity of periparturient immune responses to parasites in mammals

Because animals, including humans, are often exposed to parasites, they will eventually become resistant to them, i.e. they will develop an effective immunity. However, there are times in the life of animals that this immunity to parasites does not operate effectively. One such time is around giving birth, i.e. during late pregnancy and subsequent lactation, when immunity to parasites often breaks down. This is referred to as the periparturient relaxation of immunity (PPRI). The importance of PPRI has long been known, but why it occurs and how it can be manipulated is still poorly understood. Recent investigations in lactating rats, infected with the gut worm Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, have shown that poor protein nutrition increases worm numbers, which is indicative of increased PPRI. In this proposal, we aim to investigate how rat protein nutrition influences immune responses that are involved in PPRI. We will first test the effects of low vs high levels of protein nutrition on immune responses to N. brasiliensis during lactation at various time points. We need to do this because effects of nutrition on immunity may differ over time, and we need to ensure that for the rest of the proposal we take our measurements at the most appropriate time point. We will then test the effects of six different levels of protein (from low to high) in order to see how protein nutrition affects the immune responses at this time point. Effects of protein nutrition are by definition effects of its building blocks, the amino acids. There are about 20 amino acids, and some are called essential amino acids because they can not be synthesised in the body. Essential amino acids have to be provided by food, and we will focus our investigations on two essential amino acids that are found in high concentrations in the proteins that are associated with immunity to parasites, and on four amino acids that are known to influence immunity in general. The effects of these amino acids on the extent of PPRI will be investigated. Lastly, we will investigate how fast improved protein nutrition can restore immunity. The information derived from these experiments will help to increase our knowledge on how nutrition can affect immunity to parasites, which will be useful to control parasites with minimal use of drugs.