Administration of milk from cows immunized with intestinal bacteria protects mice from radiation-induced lethality

Abstract

Oral administration of "immune milk", that had been obtained from cows immunized with a variety of human gut bacteria containing E. coli, S. typhimurium, S. dysenteriae and 23 others, protected AKR/J mice from the lethal effect of radiation, when immune milk was orally given to mice at 150 g kg-1 day-1 for 7 days prior to gamma-irradiation of 8 Gy. Mean survival times were 24.8 days for the group given immune milk but only 16.8 days for the group given control milk from unimmunized cows. Enterobacteriaceae were detected in various organs such as liver, lung and kidney on day 13 after irradiation, whereas the numbers were significantly fewer in the study group as compared with the control group. And fewer number of intestinal Enterobacteriaceae were detected in the study group compared with the control group prior to irradiation. Immune milk also enhanced the mitogenic response to mesenteric lymph node cells, the redirected cytolytic activity of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes to P815 tumor cells with anti-CD3 mAb, and in vitro killing activities of the phagocytes in mesenteric lymph nodes to E. coli as compared with control milk. These results suggest that immune milk may reduce the number of bacteria translocating from the intestinal-tract and augment the activities of the gut-associated lymphoid tissues against the invasion of intestinal bacteria, causing protection against the lethal effect of radiation.

Dietary therapy with Lactobacillus GG, bovine colostrum or bovine immune colostrum in patients with juvenile chronic arthritis: Evaluation of effect on gut defence mechanisms

“…One explanation could be that bovine immune milk contains a low-molecular-weight factor which prevents the migration of leucocytes from the circulation to the joint, thus reducing active synovitis [55]. The specific antibacterial effect ofbovine immune milk is thought to be antibody-mediated [56,57], but judging from animal studies the promotion ofthe intestine's immunological defence mechanisms may also be important [58,59]. In our study,no clinical effect was achieved with any dietary therapy.…”

Oral Administration of Bovine Milk from Cows Hyperimmunized with Intestinal Bacterin Stimulates Lamina Propria T Lymphocytes to Produce Th1-Biased Cytokines in Mice

“…This kind of milk is characterized by higher amounts of immunoglobulins specific to these gut bacteria. As we previously reported, immune milk-administration protected mice from opportunistic infection induced by 5FU and irradiation [14,15]. It improved autoimmune diseases assessed by survival rate, proteinuria and anti-DNA Abs in autoimmune disease-prone mice (NZBxNZW F1 mice) [16] and it also delayed age-related impairment of T cell responses [17].…”

“…Thus, individual commensal species influence the composition of the lamina propria Th subsets that have distinct effector functions. In 1957, Stolle produced a kind of bovine milk that was termed “hyperimmunized milk” (immune milk) [14]. It was obtained from cows immunized with various human gut bacteria, including Escherichia coli , Salmonella thyphimurium , Shigella dysenteriae , Staphylococcus pyogenes , Proteus vulgaris and others.…”

“…It improved autoimmune diseases assessed by survival rate, proteinuria and anti-DNA Abs in autoimmune disease-prone mice (NZBxNZW F1 mice) [16] and it also delayed age-related impairment of T cell responses [17]. Our previous studies revealed the significant differences in the number and composition of gut microflora between immune milk-fed mice and control milk-fed mice [14–17]). These may stimulate the growth of beneficial microorganisms and influence the mucosal immunity in the intestine.…”

Oral ingestion of cow's milk immunoglobulin G stimulates some cellular immune systems and suppresses humoral immune responses in mouse

“…IgG-antigen complexes are actively adsorbed and transported to dendritic cells [5]. Ishida et al [6] demonstrated that oral administration of milk IgG significantly enhanced the immunological functions of gastrointestinal associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) cells. Kobayashi et al [7] found that the level of IgA in the supernatant of Peyer's Patch cell cultures was higher in mice given cow's milk containing relatively higher IgG than in mice that ingested cow's milk with relatively lower IgG.…”