title: Transforming growth factor-beta activity in commercially available pasteurized cow milk provides protection against inflammation in mice.
abstract: Cow milk contains a large amount of an immunoregulatory cytokine, transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta). The present study investigated whether commercially available pasteurized cow milk retains TGFbeta activity both in vitro and in vivo. Some commercial cow milk increased TGFbeta/Smad-responsive reporter activity and induced Smad2 phosphorylation and the transcription of the TGFbeta/Smad target genes TGFbeta itself and Smad7 in vitro. Mice treated orally with 500 microL of cow milk containing TGFbeta (3 microg/L) daily for 2 wk had increased phosphorylation of Smad2 and TGFbeta and Smad7 mRNA expression in the intestine. These mice also had significantly greater serum TGFbeta concentrations than the mice treated orally with PBS. Furthermore, oral administration of 500 microL of cow milk containing TGFbeta (3 microg/L) daily for 2 wk before the induction of dextran sodium sulfate colitis and lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxemia ameliorated tissue damage and mortality, respectively, in mice. These in vivo effects of cow milk were abrogated by the simultaneous administration of TGFbeta type I receptor kinase inhibitor with the cow milk, and they were not observed after the oral administration of cow's milk containing little TGFbeta. In humans, 1 oral challenge of 10 mL/kg cow milk containing TGFbeta (3 microg/L) increased the plasma TGFbeta concentrations at 4 h after the challenge. Thus, some commercially available pasteurized cow milk retains TGFbeta activity, which may be able to provide protection against experimental colitis and endotoxemia associated with increased intestinal and circulating TGFbeta levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyata
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Yuhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohba
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shimokawa
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohnuma
authors.forename: Ryohei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Katoh
authors.forename: Hideoki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Atsuhito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D016264:Dextran Sulfate / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016264:Dextran Sulfate