title: Immunoglobulin A in Bovine Milk: A Potential Functional Food?
abstract: Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is an anti-inflammatory antibody that plays a critical role in mucosal immunity. It is found in large quantities in human milk, but there are lower amounts in bovine milk. In humans, IgA plays a significant role in providing protection from environmental pathogens at mucosal surfaces and is a key component for the establishment and maintenance of intestinal homeostasis via innate and adaptive immune mechanisms. To date, many of the dairy-based functional foods are derived from bovine colostrum, targeting the benefits of IgG. IgA has a higher pathogenic binding capacity and greater stability against proteolytic degradation when ingested compared with IgG. This provides IgA-based products greater potential in the functional food market that has yet to be realized.
authors.affiliation: AgResearch, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cakebread
authors.affiliation: AgResearch, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Rex
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Humphrey
authors.affiliation: AgResearch, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Alison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hodgkinson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms; D002417:Cattle; D003126:Colostrum / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling; D055951:Functional Food; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D064307:Microbiota / Q000276:immunology; D008892:Milk / Q000276:immunology*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: colostrum; free secretory component; glycosylation; immunoglobulin A; milk