title: The potential for enhancement of immunity in cats by dietary supplementation.
abstract: This study was conducted to examine the potential benefits of dietary supplementation on the feline immune system. Forty three cats (8 or 9 per group) were fed a low protein control diet (22.7% DM basis), the same diet supplemented with yeast-derived nucleotides, salmon oil or l-arginine or a commercial moist high protein diet (53.0% DM basis) for a period of five weeks. The low protein diets were formulated using a commercial moist diet base with added fat and starch and fed ad libitum, along with water. Specific immune assays showed that supplementation with arginine caused a significant enhancement of lymphocyte proliferative responses to the T-cell mitogen PHA after 35 days (P=0.018), while supplementation with either nucleotides or salmon oil resulted in significant enhancement after both 14 (P=0.0048, P<0.0001 respectively) and 35 days (both P<0.0001). Dietary supplementation with arginine, nucleotides or salmon oil each led to significant increases in blood leucocyte phagocytic activity after both 14 (P=0.0003, P=0.0077, P<0.0001 respectively) and 35 days (P<0.0001). This indicates that a number of dietary ingredients have the ability to modulate the immune system of healthy cats possibly resulting in a greater ability to fight infection and disease.
authors: Institute of Food, Nutrition & Human Health, Massey University, Albany, New Zealand. K.J.Rutherfurd@massey.ac.nz
authors: K J
authors: KJ
authors: Rutherfurd-Markwick
authors: W H
authors: WH
authors: Hendriks
authors: P C H
authors: PC
authors: Morel
authors: D G
authors: DG
authors: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002415:Cats / Q000276:immunology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055951:Functional Food / Q000032:analysis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010587:Phagocytosis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005395:Fish Oils; D009711:Nucleotides; C030341:salmon oil; D001120:Arginine