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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #190907
Title: BIFIDOBACTERIUM LACTIS AFFECTS IMMUNE DEVELOPMENT OF NEONATAL PIGS: A MODEL FOR NUTRIENT CONDITIONING IN INFANTS.

Author
item Solano-Aguilar, Gloria
item Dawson, Harry
item Jones, Yolanda
item Schoene, Norberta
item Beshah, Ethiopia
item RESTREPO, MARTA - NRFL, ARS, BELTSVILLE,MD
item HARE, WILLIAM - ARS,ANRI,BELTSVILLE
item Urban, Joseph

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2006
Publication Date: 4/1/2006
Citation: Solano Aguilar, G., Dawson, H.D., Jones, Y.L., Schoene, N.W., Beshah, E., Restrepo, M., Hare, W., Urban Jr, J.F. 2006. Bifidobacterium lactis affects immune development of neonatal pigs: a model for nutrient conditioning in infants. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Probiotic bacteria such as Bifidobacterium have been used as a probiotic to enhance intestinal health and immune response. However, hypothesis-based testing of the activity of these and other probiotics is dependent on animal models for careful measurement of local changes in immune function associated with probiotic administration. The effect of Bifidobacterium lactis (Bb 12) on the induction of mucosal immune system development in newborn swine was measured. Bb12 was administered daily to 3 pregnant sows starting in the last trimester to establish Bb12 in the maternal micro flora that would naturally inoculate piglets during birth. Two other sows received the vehicle only as a placebo. Piglets within each litter were randomly divided at birth in two groups. Half of the litter received a daily oral inoculation with Bb12 and the other half an equivalent amount of vehicle. The four experimental groups were designated 1) T/T for treated mother, treated piglets, 2) T/C for treated mother, control piglets, 3) C/T for control mother, treated piglets, and 4) C/C for control mother, control piglets. Piglets from all groups were euthanized weekly. Fecal samples were collected for quantitative measurement of Bb12 and host intestinal mucosa and lymphoid tissues were collected for analysis of gene expression of 46 selected biomarkers. Increased Bb12, indicated by detection of the signal copy Tuf gene, present in BB12 was detected in the highest concentrations in the contents of the proximal and distal colon in T/T > C/T> T/C> C/C piglets. Significant increases in host biomarker associated with immune were highly correlate (R2>0.56) with localized detection of Bb12. Bb12 induced host T cell and innate immune activation in the colon could enhance responses to infectious agents but down regulation in the ileum and Peyer Patches could initiate tolergenic signals that may ameliorate responses to antigens such as food allergens.