Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia. Effect of Systemic Administration of Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor on White cell components in Katjang goats: A pilot study. 1Roohi S.A., 1Collin SK Looi, 2Nurul Hayah Khairuddin, 2Chen Hui Cheng* 1Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, 2Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia. Introduction Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) is a glycoprotein that has been used over the last three decades to stimulate the bone marrow to produce granulocytes and stem cells to be released into the bloodstream. It encourages proliferation, differentiation and increases the survival of these cells into mature neutrophils. It also induces haematopoietic stem cell mobilization from the bone marrow into the bloodstream as well as acting on neurons as a neurotrophic factor to induce neurogenesis thereby increasing neuroplasticity. G-CSF has been used to stimulate stem cells which are then harvested for various regenerative purposes.. Discussion The results show a consistent rise in the counts, but peaks at different days for the different components but no preponderance to any one day or time. This negates predictability, however the peak is consistently high for three consecutive days (Day2, Day 3 and Day 4). It is safe to say Day 3 and Day 4 remain high for most if not all the parameters in all goats. Day-0 blood sampling before injection of G-CSF Sub-cutaneous injection of G-CSF 5µg/kg of body weight at 8am on Day1, Day2 and Day3. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein at 10am on Day1, Day2, Day3 and Day4 (Figure 1) Conclusion The peak for total and segmental white blood cell counts post injections with Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor is found to be consistently high on Day 3 and Day 4 post injection with Neupogen (Amgen) and would be useful information for stem cell researchers using Katjang goats as an animal model. Results were plotted on a graph to visualise the trend and determine the peak (Figure 2) Aim Our objective in this pilot study was to monitor the trends of the white cell counts and its component after subcutaneous injections of a Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor in Katjang (Capra aegagrus) goats to determine the duration of the raised counts as well as the peak in white cell components. This will enable researchers to harvest blood at the time when the white cell components are at their peak. Results The results showed a consistent elevation of white blood cell component counts over a period of 3 days which would provide a window of access to harvest peripheral blood stem cells for various clinical uses. Four of the six goats showed a peak on the same day (one on Day 2, two on Day 3 and one on Day 4) for each parameter: total WCC, band neutrophils, segmented neutrophils and lymphocytes. The two remaining goats however, had peaks on three different days for the various parameters. One of the latter had a high total count to begin with and may have skewed the data. The parameters themselves did not show any preferential peak at any specific day. References 1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granulocyte_colony-stimulating_factor 2. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor-mobilized mesenchymal stem cells: a new resource for rapid engraftment in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Zhang C, Chen XH. Med Hypotheses. 2011; 76:241-243. 3. Multipotent progenitor cells are present in human peripheral blood. Cesselli D, Beltrami AP, Rigo S, Bergamin N, D’Aurizio F, Verardo R, Piazza S, klaric E, Fanin R, Toffoletto B, Marzinotto S, Mariuzzi L, Finato N, Pandolfi M, Leri A, Schneider C, Beltrami CA, Anversa P. Circ Res. 2009; 104:1225-1234. Materials and Methods Six male goats between the ages of 1-2 years, weighing about 15-25 kilograms were randomly chosen from a single farm. These goats were subjected to 5µg/kg of body weight of subcutaneous G-CSF daily for 3 days. Daily blood samples were taken at a 8am and white blood cell counts were recorded from Day 0 (before injection of G-CSF) to Day 4 (post injection of G-CSF). Source of Funding Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (02-01-04-SF2139) Acknowledgements Veterinary officers (VO), assistant veterinary officers (AVO, & veterinary assistants (VA) of the Department of Medicine and Surgery of Farm and Exotic Animals, University Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Staff of Hematology and Biochemistry Laboratory, Veterinary Laboratory Services Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Staff of Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food security (ITAFoS), Universiti Putra Malaysia. Figure 2: Linear graph showing the effect of Granulocytes Colony Stimulating Factor on the white cell components of goats from Day 0 (baseline), Day 1, Day 2 and Day 4 (n=6). Figure 1: Blood collection via jugular venipuncture in a goat