Supplementation with Galacto-Oligosaccharides Increases the Percentage of NK Cells and Reduces Colitis Severity in Smad3-Deficient Mice

Gopalakrishnan, A.; Clinthorne, Jonathan F.; Rondini, Elizabeth A.; McCaskey, Sarah; Gurzell, Eric A.; Langohr, Ingeborg M.; Gardner, Elizabeth M.; Fenton, Jenifer I.

doi:10.3945/jn.111.154732

Cited by 47 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…34 GOS reduces colitis by modulating the function and trafficking of NK cells in mice. 35 However, not all literature is in agreement. The addition of a specific mixture of 0.6 g/100 mL of scGOS and lcFOS in a ratio of 9/1 to infant formula showed that immune parameters at weeks 8 and 26 did not differ between both groups.…”

Section: Prebiotics and Immune Parametersmentioning

confidence: 67%

Prebiotics in infant formula

2014

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The gastrointestinal microbiota of breast-fed babies differ from classic standard formula fed infants. While mother's milk is rich in prebiotic oligosaccharides and contains small amounts of probiotics, standard infant formula doesn't. Different prebiotic oligosaccharides are added to infant formula: galacto-oligosaccharides, fructo-oligosaccharide, polydextrose, and mixtures of these. There is evidence that addition of prebiotics in infant formula alters the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota resembling that of breastfed infants. They are added to infant formula because of their presence in breast milk. Infants on these supplemented formula have a lower stool pH, a better stool consistency and frequency and a higher concentration of bifidobacteria in their intestine compared to infants on a non-supplemented standard formula. Since most studies suggest a trend for beneficial clinical effects, and since these ingredients are very safe, prebiotics bring infant formula one step closer to breastmilk, the golden standard. However, despite the fact that adverse events are rare, the evidence on prebiotics of a significant health benefit throughout the alteration of the gut microbiota is limited.

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Section: Prebiotics and Immune Parametersmentioning

confidence: 67%

Prebiotics in infant formula

2014

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“…In addition to the basic concept of protection by maternal antibodies present in colostrum, recently more interest has arisen for the influence of other colostral constituents, such as oligosaccharides. In human infants and experimental animals, dietary supplements containing commercially produced galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) have been proven to elicit prebiotic effects [2–4] and to be beneficial for health in several ways [5], for instance by enhancing defensive immune responses [6–8] and lowering the incidence of infections [9,10]. Still, the evidence supporting the use of such oligosaccharide supplements is not conclusive, as other studies have reported only temporary or non-significant effects of similar supplements on infection and immunity [11–13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of orally administered galacto-oligosaccharides on immunological parameters in foals: a pilot study

2014

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BackgroundIn the first phase of life, in which the immune system is primed and the bacterial colonization of epithelial surfaces takes place, foals are highly susceptible to bacterial infections. Next to strategies to optimize maternally acquired immunity in individual foals, current research explores other options to modulate immune responses in foals. During the past decades, oligosaccharide supplements were developed to mimic beneficial properties of the oligosaccharides, which are present in colostrum and milk. In human infants and laboratory animal species, dietary supplementation with galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) has been shown to result in prebiotic and immunomodulating effects, with long-term beneficial consequences for both defensive and allergic immune responses. As yet, no studies are published concerning the in vivo effects of GOS in horses. The current study was designed as a pilot study to investigate the effects of an orally applied, commercially available GOS product in a group of pony foals. The treatment and the control group consisted of six and four foals, respectively. Foals were treated during the first four weeks of life and subsequently followed up for another ten weeks.ResultsIn peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from GOS-treated foals at day 28, a standardized lipopolysaccharide challenge resulted in significantly lower relative mRNA expression levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon-γ and interleukin-6 compared with PBMCs of control foals. In the 98-day period of investigation, no significant effects of the GOS supplement were observed on clinical and blood parameters for immunity and general health in these foals.ConclusionsBased on these first results, we can conclude that this dose regimen of GOS was well accepted by the foals and did not result in any detectable undesirable side effects. More clinical trials are required to confirm the attenuating effects of GOS treatment on equine pro-inflammatory immune responses and to implement this into practice.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-014-0278-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…GOS was shown to reduce colitis in Smad3-deficient mice by modulating the function and trafficking of NK cells. 130 Although, prebiotics are shown to have immunomodulatory effect, more studies are necessary to establish the mechanistic role of prebiotics-induced immunomodulation against cancer.…”

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confidence: 99%