Metabolism of bovine immunoglobulin. II. Metabolism of bovine IgG in cattle with secondary hypoimmunoglobulinemia.

The turnover of I(131)-labelled IgG has been studied in cattle with mild hypoimmunoglobulinemia secondary to gastrointestinal disorders. A gastrointestinal loss of immunoglobulin was the most likely cause of the hypoimmunoglobulinemic condition. Thus, 6 animals with severe digestive symptoms (diarrhoea) had increased turnover rates of I(131)-IgG, whereas animals that had recovered from diarrhoeal diseases had normal or even low turnover rates (table I). It is concluded that the pattern of immunoglobulin metabolism is closely related to the clinical picture of the digestive disease.