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Supplementation transgenic cow’s milk containing recombinant human lactoferrin enhances systematic and intestinal immune responses in piglets

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Abstract

Lactoferrin (LF) plays an important role in the body’s immune system. However, the immunomodulatory effects of supplementation transgenic cow’s milk containing recombinant human LF (rhLF) on the systemic and intestinal immune systems in infants remain unclear. Our laboratory has used genetic engineer to produce transgenic cow secreted rhLF. To assess the immune responses we took piglets as an animal model for infants. Eighteen piglets at 7 days of age were fed ordinary milk, 1:1 mix of ordinary and rhLF milk, or rhLF milk (LFM) for 30 days. The incidence of diarrhea in piglets in natural condition was observed. The protein abundances of immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgA, IgM, IgE, histamine, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 interferon, tumor necrosis factor in the plasma, spleen or intestine were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Intestinal structure was assessed by hematoxylin and eosin. The mRNA levels of immune and allergy-related genes were measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that LFM-fed significantly reduced incidence of diarrhea, enhanced humoral immunity, T helper (Th) 1, and Th2 cell responses, improved the structure of the intestinal mucosal and did not induce food allergy. LFM increased mRNA levels of toll-like receptor 2 and nuclear factor-κB p65 and decreased that of FCεRI β. In conclusion, rhLF-enriched formula could improve systematic and intestinal immune responses and did not elicit food allergies in neonatal piglets.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Professors Defa Li and Xiangsu Piao and the Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing, for their help with the pig feeding and necropsy. This work was supported by the National “863″ High-Tech Research and Development Program (2011AA100601), the National Transgenic Breeding Program (2011ZX08011-004), and China Agriculture Research System (CARS-37) in China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of AgroBiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People’s Republic of China

    Qiuling Li, Wenping Hu, Jie Zhao, Yunping Dai, Yaofeng Zhao, Qingyong Meng & Ning Li

  2. Beijing Genprotein Biotechnology Company, Beijing, 100193, People’s Republic of China

    Jianwu Wang & Yunping Dai

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  1. Qiuling Li
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  2. Wenping Hu
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  3. Jie Zhao
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  4. Jianwu Wang
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  5. Yunping Dai
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  6. Yaofeng Zhao
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  7. Qingyong Meng
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  8. Ning Li
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Correspondence to Ning Li.

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Li, Q., Hu, W., Zhao, J. et al. Supplementation transgenic cow’s milk containing recombinant human lactoferrin enhances systematic and intestinal immune responses in piglets. Mol Biol Rep 41, 2119–2128 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-014-3061-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-014-3061-5

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