Consumption of Milk from Cows Immunized with Intestinal Bacteria Influences Age-Related Changes in Immune Competence in Mice

Abstract

Milk was obtained from nonimmunized cows and cows immunized with a mixture of various human gut bacteria. Each milk was administered orally to 2-mo-old C57BL/6 mice at a dose of 150 g.kg-1.d-1 for either 6 or 16 mo. The study group had fewer enteric bacteria and a lower concentration of the serum antibodies against enteric bacteria compared with the control group at 8 and 18 mo of age. Furthermore, the study group at 18 mo old had a higher redirected cytotoxicity of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes, a higher proliferative response of mesenteric lymph nodes cells against mitogenic or alloantigenic stimulation and a greater ability of the spleen cells to produce anti-sheep erythrocytes IgG antibody after systemic immunization with sheep erythrocytes. A lower level of autoantibodies was observed at 8 mo and 18 mo of age in the study group compared with the control group. These results suggest that the senescence of the murine immune system may be delayed by consumption of milk from immunized cows.

Immune Milk Suppresses Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1

“…This amino acid sequence of HSV-1 gK shares 46% homology with that of BHV-1 gK (21). Therefore, the HSV-1-reactive IgG detected in the present study should be BHV-1 Ab, because HSV-1 was not included in the pathogen series for immunization in the manufacture of immune milk (8,9). As BHV-1 is distributed in cattle worldwide (17), most cattle immunized for the manufacture of immune milk are supposedly latently infected by BHV-1.…”

“…Immune milk generally contains high concentrations of immunopathogen-specifi c IgG Ab (8,9). According to Kanematsu Wellness (http://www.s-milk.com/), the concentration of IgG in immune milk is 6.4 mg/g (22 g immune milk contains 140 mg IgG).…”

“…Therefore, the concentration of HSV-1-reactive IgG in immune milk was calculated as follows: 6.4 mg/gϫ2 g/mL/125 g/mLϭ102 g/g. This is as high as the concentration of each Ab against its respective immunized pathogen in immune milk (9). Therefore, BHV-1 Ab would be overproduced against latent BHV-1 owing to the infl uence of the hyperimmunity-inducing procedure.…”

“…As a result of oral ingestion, the pathogen-specifi c antibodies in immune milk reduce several pathogens in the human gut (9,12). Anti-rotavirus-specifi c Ab included in immune milk is reported to improve rotavirus-induced enteritis (12).…”

“…Immune milk is obtained from dairy cattle immunized with the antigens of 26 different bacteria and viruses affecting human digestive and respiratory organs, and is characterized by high levels of IgG antibody (Ab) with activity specifi c to the immunized pathogens (8,9). Several clinical studies have evaluated its effi cacy in the prevention and treatment of various human infections after oral ingestion (5,(9)(10)(11)(12)(13).…”