Antibody production system modulated by oral administration of human milk and TGF-beta.
Human milk contains large amounts of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), which exerts powerful suppressive effects on many immune functions. Oral administration of human milk and TGF-beta in mice strongly inhibited anti-sheep red blood cell (SRBC) responses obtained following oral immunization with SRBC, but enhanced the responses elicited by intraperitoneal, intrabronchial or intravenous immunization with SRBC. Anti-SRBC antibody responses stimulated by intraperitoneal or intravenous immunization with SRBC failed to augment when TGF-beta-depleted human milk was given orally. These findings suggest that TGF-beta in human milk functions as an adjuvant for protective antibody responses against parenteral infections.
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nara Medical University, Japan.
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Ishizaka
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Kimoto
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Tsujii
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Saito
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D005260:Female; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008895:Milk, Human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta