Suppressive Effect of Functional Drinking Yogurt Containing Specific Egg Yolk Immunoglobulin on Helicobacter pylori in Humans

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori is a human pathogen that infects over 50% of the population worldwide. It is the most important etiologic agent of gastroduodenal ulcers and malignancies. Helicobacter pylori urease enzyme is considered the main factor for the organism's colonization in the gastroduodenal mucosa. Hens immunized with the purified urease produce a highly specific anti-H. pylori urease immunoglobulin (IgY-urease) in their egg yolks. Immunoglobulin Y-urease was stable at 60 to 65 degrees C for 30 min and at pH 4.0 for 7 h. Its activity was lost at 80 degrees C for 20 min and at pH 2 for 4 h. Specially designed functional drinking yogurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium spp. with 1% egg yolk IgY-urease was produced commercially. Immunoglobulin Y-urease activity showed stability in the product up to 7 d, and then decreased to 85% after 3 wk of storage. A clinical study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of IgY-urease yogurt to suppress infection in humans. Forty-two volunteers who tested positive for H. pylori using a 13C-urea breath test were recruited. A total of 450 mL of IgY-urease (test group) or IgY-urease-free yogurt (control group) was consumed in 150-mL portions 3 times daily for 4 wk. Volunteers were tested after 2 and 4 wk; urea breath test values significantly decreased in the test group compared with the control group. The results indicate that suppression of H. pylori infection in humans could be achieved by consumption of drinking yogurt fortified with IgY-urease.

Anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosaIgY antibodies promote bacterial opsonization and augment the phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils

“…Oral pathogens causing dental caries, 28 periodontitis 29 and oral candidiasis 30 have been successfully reduced with pathogen-specific IgY. Infectious diseases caused by important gastrointestinal pathogens like Helicobacter pylori 31 and rotavirus 32 are diminished clinically with oral passive IgY immunotherapy. Although IgY antibodies are fairly sensitive to the gastric pH and hydrolysis by gastric enzymes, IgY seems to keep its immunological function during the passage from the stomach to the small intestine, 33 which together with the effortless oral administration of IgY favors pursuing gastrointestinal pathogens.…”

Systematic review: are probiotics useful in controlling gastric colonization by Helicobacter pylori?

“…Intake of this product was associated with a statistically significant decrease in DOB values at 2 and 4 weeks and represents another avenue for the control of H. pylori in the mucosa of the stomach. 63 Bovine lactoferrin was used in an open randomized clinical trial in 150 dyspeptic patients as adjunctive agent during a 1-week triple therapy for H. pylori infection. 64 The efficacy of triple therapy plus lactoferrin was significantly higher in the treated group than in the control group (P ¼ 0.01).…”

Colonization Factor Antigen I, an Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Colonization Factor, Exhibits Therapeutic Significance

“…IgY antibodies against the porcine and other veterinary ETEC fimbrial antigens found to inhibit the adhesion of ETEC to the epithelial cells and when administered orally to piglets and neonatal calves [20][21][22]. IgY antibodies against human pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa was given orphan drug designation by the European Medicines Agency in 2008, for the treatment of cystic fibrosis in humans [23][24][25][26] and encouraging clinical outcomes against pathogens such as Helicobacter pylori [27,28], Porphyromonas gingivalis and Streptococcus mutans were reported [29,30]. According to Diraviyam et al [31] a meta-analysis on IgY antibodies against diarrhea in domesticated animals based on the available research reports proposes the beneficial effects of IgY and suggests animal studies to evaluate IgY molecules as a viable alternative to antibiotics.…”