Lactoferrin as a natural regimen for selective decontamination of the digestive tract: recombinant porcine lactoferrin expressed in the milk of transgenic mice protects neonates from pathogenic challenge in the gastrointestinal tract.
BACKGROUND
Nosocomial infection with antibiotic-resistant strains is a major threat to critical care medicine. Selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) is one of the strategies used to reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia and sepsis in critically ill patients. In the present study, we performed pathogenic challenges of the digestive tract in a transgenic milk-fed animal model to test whether porcine lactoferrin (pLF) is an effective SDD regimen.


METHODS
Transgenic mice expressing recombinant pLF in their milk at a mean+/-SD concentration of 120+/-13.6 mg/L during the lactation stage fed normal CD-1 mice pups for 4 weeks. The pups were subsequently challenged with pathogenic Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans.


RESULTS
Compared with the control groups fed wild-type (normal) milk, the groups fed pLF-enriched milk demonstrated statistically significant improvements in weight gain; lower bacterial numbers in intestinal fluid, blood, and liver; healthier microvilli in the small intestine; and alveoli in the lungs.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that oral administration of pLF-enriched milk to mice led to broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity in the digestive tract and protected the mucosa of the small intestine from injury, implying that pLF can be used as an effective SDD regimen.
Yen
Chih-Ching
CC
Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Lin
Chien-Yu
CY
Chong
Kowit-Yu
KY
Tsai
Tung-Chou
TC
Shen
Chih-Jie
CJ
Lin
Ming-Fong
MF
Su
Chun-Yao
CY
Chen
Hsiao-Ling
HL
Chen
Chuan-Mu
CM
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001835:Body Weight; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D007774:Lactation; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013552:Swine
D016207:Cytokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007781:Lactoferrin