Immunosuppression, sialic acid, and sialyltransferase of bovine serum as a function of progesterone concentration.

Serum samples from progesterone-oestrogen-treated ovariectomized Holstein cows (N = 4) were compared with samples from control ovariectomized Holstein cows (N = 4) to determine the effects of physiological levels (0-6 ng/ml) of circulating progesterone. The average progesterone level in treated animals rose from 1 ng/ml (Day 0) to plateau at 5 ng/ml (Days 12 to 36). Sera from progesterone-oestrogen-treated cows during Days 4 to 10 significantly suppressed stimulation of lymphocytes by phytohaemagglutinin as compared with sera from control cows (P = 0.02), whereas no differences were detected in serum samples from Days 12 to 36. Serum samples from progesterone-oestrogen-treated or control cows did not affect the stimulation of lymphocytes by pokeweed mitogen. Sialyltransferase activity (P = 0.0002) and sialic acid content (P = 0.006) were both significantly elevated in serum from progesterone-oestrogen-treated animals compared with controls during Days 8 to 16, whereas no significant differences were observed at later times. The results suggest that suppression of phytohaemagglutinin-induced stimulation, sialic acid content, and sialyltransferase activity are sensitive not to the circulating level of progesterone but rather to increases in progesterone concentration, with maximal effects observed at Days 8, 12 and 12, respectively, after the start of progesterone treatment. The work provides a preliminary basis for further studies on the mechanism of immunosuppression by steroids and during pregnancy.