Open AccessPotential prophylactic value of bovine colostrum in necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates: an in vitro study on bacterial attachment, antibody levels and cytokine production
Author(s) -
Brooks Heather J.L.,
McConnell Michelle A.,
Corbett Janet,
Buchan Glenn S.,
Fitzpatrick Clare E.,
Broadbent Roland S.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2006.00151.x
Subject(s) - colostrum , necrotizing enterocolitis , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , antibody , enterobacteriaceae , klebsiella pneumoniae , cytokine , enterocolitis , escherichia coli , immunology , medicine , biochemistry , gene
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an important disease of low birth‐weight neonates. The immaturity of the gut mucosa may result in close contact between the host epithelium and microorganisms which are normally confined to the gut lumen. Damage of the mucosa due to endotoxin, cytokine production or other factors is believed to then occur. The aim of this study was to determine whether spray‐dried bovine colostrum demonstrated potential in vitro as a prophylactic for NEC. Antiadherence was measured using a tissue culture assay and antibody levels against Enterobacteriaceae were determined by ELISA. The effect of bovine colostrum on the production of cytokines implicated in NEC was determined by a multiplex bead assay. Enterobacter cloacae , Klebsiella oxytoca , Escherichia coli , Serratia marcescens and Klebsiella pneumoniae ssp. pneumoniae were common in both NEC positive and NEC negative infants and IgA and IgG1 antibodies to these species were present in the bovine colostrum. Pretreatment with bovine colostrum produced a significant decrease ( P <0.001) in attachment of bacteria to HT‐29 cells. Bovine colostrum significantly increased the production of IL‐8 in HT‐29 cells and IL‐8, IL‐6 and TNF‐α in THP‐1 cells ( P <0.001). The potential of bovine colostrum to increase the production of inflammatory mediators could limit its usefulness.