Supplementing suckling rats with whey protein concentrate modulates the immune response and ameliorates rat rotavirus-induced diarrhea.
Group A rotaviruses (RV) are the most common causative agents of acute gastroenteritis in children <2 y. The present study was designed to establish the effect of a bovine whey protein concentrate (WPC) in a RV infection model in suckling rats. From d 3 of life, suckling Lewis rats received daily supplements of WPC, WPC plus lactoferrin (LF), standard infant formula (SIF), or water (RV-infected group and an untreated, uninfected reference group). On d 8 of life, heterologous simian RV SA-11 was inoculated orally in the WPC-RV, WPC+LF-RV, SIF-RV, and RV groups. WPC and WPC+LF reduced diarrhea incidence from approximately 90% in RV group to approximately 60% in WPC-RV and WPC+LF-RV groups (P < 0.05), whereas the area under the curve (AUC) of severity along time diminished from approximately 10 AUC in the RV group to approximately 6 AUC in both supplemented groups (P < 0.05). Serum levels of anti-RV antibodies, splenocyte proliferation, and interferon-gamma secretion after specific stimulation were significantly lower in the WPC-RV and WPC+LF-RV groups than in the SIF-RV and RV groups. In the intraepithelial intestinal compartment, RV infection increased the proportion of typical mucosal T cells (IE-T CD8alphaalpha+); however, this modification was controlled by WPC and WPC+LF supplementation. In general, for most of the parameters studied, the SIF-RV and RV groups did not differ. In summary, daily supplementation with WPC or WPC+LF in early life considerably reduces the severity of RV-induced acute gastroenteritis and modulates the immune response against the pathogen.
Pérez-Cano
Francisco J
FJ
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Spain. franciscoperez@ub.edu
Marín-Gallén
Silvia
S
Castell
Margarida
M
Rodríguez-Palmero
María
M
Rivero
Montserrat
M
Castellote
Cristina
C
Franch
Angels
A
D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D000067816:Whey Proteins
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D008894:Milk Proteins; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D007781:Lactoferrin