Abstract
Introduction
Due to the widely documented and diverse toxic effects of acrylamide, the authors decided to evaluate the impact of high and low doses of this compound on the process of granulopoiesis in porcine bone marrow.
Material and Methods
The experiment was conducted on 15 Danish Landrace pigs at the age of 8 weeks. The animals were randomly assigned into three equal groups (n = 5). Control animals received empty gelatine capsules as placebo. Animals in the first experimental group (the LD group) received a low dose of acrylamide of 0.5 μg/kg b.w./day, and animals in the second experimental group (the HD group) received a tenfold higher dose of acrylamide of 5 μg/kg b.w./day. Placebo and acrylamide capsules were administered with feed every morning for 28 days. Bone marrow was collected into tubes without an anticoagulant twice – before the first capsule administration (day 0) and on the 28th day of the study. After drying and staining, bone marrow smears were subjected to detailed cytological evaluation under a light microscope.
Results
Changes in cell morphology, i.e. degenerative changes in the cellular nuclei, were observed in both experimental groups. Both low and high doses of acrylamide decreased the number of segmented eosinophils, neutrophilic and segmented metamyelocytes, neutrophils, as well as basophils and basophilic metamyelocytes.
Conclusion
Acrylamide at doses of 0.5 μg/kg b.w./day and 5 μg/kg b.w./day clearly influences porcine granulopoiesis.