Bactericidal effect of a whey protein concentrate with anti-Helicobacter pylori activity.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of whey protein concentrate (WPC) enriched in anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies on growth of the organism in vitro.


RESULTS
A WPC rich in H. pylori-specific antibodies was produced by immunizing lactating cows against H. pylori and processing pooled bulk milk samples into whey powder. The antibodies bound several proteins within the bacterial homogenate and were active at pH 5. In a complement-dependent reaction, the immune WPC was highly bactericidal against four H. pylori strains tested in vitro.


CONCLUSIONS
WPC produced with milk from H. pylori-immunized cows contains antibodies that are active at the pH of the stomach, and bactericidal against H. pylori in vitro, via the classical complement pathway.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has demonstrated the potential for use of WPC in the prevention/treatment of H. pylori infections.
Early
E M
EM
National Diagnostics Centre, BioResearch Ireland, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Hardy
H
H
Forde
T
T
Kane
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002417:Cattle; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011485:Protein Binding; D000067816:Whey Proteins
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D008894:Milk Proteins; D000067816:Whey Proteins