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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #139810

Title: EVALUATION OF VACCINATION AGAINST METHYLLYCACONITINE TOXICITY IN MICE

Author
item Lee, Stephen
item Stegelmeier, Bryan
item Panter, Kip
item Pfister, James
item Gardner, Dale
item Schoch, Thomas
item James, Lynn

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/24/2002
Publication Date: 8/1/2003
Citation: LEE, S.T., STEGELMEIER, B.L., PANTER, K.E., PFISTER, J.A., GARDNER, D.R., SCHOCH, T.K., JAMES, L.F. EVALUATION OF ACTIVE IMMUNIZATION AGAINST METHYLLYCACONITINE TOXICITY IN MICE. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2003, 81:232-238.

Interpretive Summary: Larkspur (Delphinium spp.) causes significant livestock losses in the western United States. The purpose of this study was to determine if larkspur toxins conjugated to protein carriers would promote active immunity in mice. Mice were injected with several larkspur toxin-protein conjugates or adjuvant alone to determine if the resulting immunologic response altered animal susceptibility to methyllycaconitine, the major toxic larkspur alkaloid. Although vaccinations appeared to provide a mild protective effect against intravenous methyllycaconitine toxicity, overlapping confidence intervals did not provide evidence of differences between the vaccinated and control groups. In one vaccinated group, mouse survival was statistically related to serum titers for mthyllycaconitine doses up to 4.5 mg/kg BW. When mice with low antibody titers were removed from the vaccinated groups in which titer was related to survival, the recalculated LD50s were 20% greater that the LD50s of the control group. These results suggest that vaccination altered methyllycaconitine toxicity in mice and that vaccination may be useful in decreasing the effects of larkspur toxins in animals. Additional studies are warranted to continue development of potential larkspur vaccines for livestock.

Technical Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine if larkspur toxins conjugated to protein carriers would promote active immunity in mice. Mice were injected with several larkspur toxin-protein conjugates or adjuvant alone to determine if the resulting immunologic response altered animal susceptibility to methyllycaconitine, the major toxic larkspur alkaloid. Although vaccinations appeared to provide a mild protective effect against intravenous methyllycaconitine toxicity, overlapping confidence intervals did not provide evidence of differences between the vaccinated and control groups. In the lycoctonine conjugate (LYC) vaccinated group, mouse survival was related (P = 0.001) to serum titers for methyllycaconitine doses up to 4.5 mg/kg BW. When mice with low antibody titers were removed from the vaccinated groups in which titer was related to survival, the recalculated LD50s were 20% greater than the LD50s of the control group. These results suggest that vaccination altered methyllycaconitine toxicity in mice and that vaccination may be useful in decreasing the effects of larkspur toxins in animals. Additional studies are warranted to continue development of potential larkspur vaccines for livestock.