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<OL> <LI> Develop immunologic diagnostic techniques to identify pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) in feeds, foods, and animal tissues to identify poisoning, to characterize disease progression, and to prognose the fate of poisoned animals. PA and pyrrole conjugates will be tested as vaccines. <LI>Determine and describe the fetal and neonatal effects of other hepatotoxic and neurotoxic plants. <LI>Develop forage management and monitoring strategies to avoid poisoning and to assure feed and food quality.
PA and other plant alkaloids and metabolites will be conjugated to proteins and inoculated into animals. The resulting antibodies will be tested for specificity and developed into ELISA and immunohistochemical analytical methods. Immunized animals will be tested to determine if the resulting immunologic response alters PA toxicity. Chemical and immunologic techniques will be used to detect PA contaminates in feed and food, to diagnose intoxications and to monitor PA toxins and metabolites in vivo. PA toxicity in highly susceptible fetal and neonatal animals will be described. Toxicity and toxicokinetics information will be used to predict disease progression and better predict the risk of poisoning. The clinical, morphologic and molecular alterations in animals poisoned with other hepatotoxic and neurotoxic plants including rayless goldenrod (Happlopappus heterophyllus), and white snakeroot (Eupatoorium rugosum) will be described. Management and grazing strategies will be developed to provide quality livestock forage and ensure quality feeds and food.