Validation of bovine glycomacropeptide as an intestinal anti-inflammatory nutraceutical in the lymphocyte-transfer model of colitis

Br J Nutr. 2014 Apr 14;111(7):1202-12. doi: 10.1017/S0007114513003590. Epub 2013 Nov 14.

Abstract

Milk κ-casein-derived bovine glycomacropeptide (GMP) exerts immunomodulatory effects. It exhibits intestinal anti-inflammatory activity in chemically induced models of colitis. However, to validate its clinical usefulness as a nutraceutical, it is important to assess its effects in a model with a closer pathophysiological connection with human inflammatory bowel disease. Therefore, in the present study, we used the lymphocyte-transfer model of colitis in mice and compared the effects of GMP in this model with those obtained in the dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) model. GMP (15 mg/d) resulted in higher body-weight gain and a reduction of the colonic damage score and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in Rag1(-/-) mice with colitis induced by the transfer of naïve T cells. The colonic and ileal weight:length ratio was decreased by approximately 25%, albeit non-significantly. GMP treatment reduced the percentage of CD4⁺ interferon (IFN)-γ⁺ cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN). The basal production of IL-6 by MLN obtained from the GMP-treated mice ex vivo was augmented. However, concanavalin A-evoked production was similar. The colonic expression of regenerating islet-derived protein 3γ, S100A8, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 and IL-1β was unaffected by GMP, while that of TNF-α and especially IFN-γ was paradoxically increased. In the DSS model, GMP also reduced the activity of colonic MPO, but it failed to alter weight gain or intestinal weight:length ratio. GMP augmented the production of IL-10 by MLN cells and was neutral towards other cytokines, except exhibiting a trend towards increasing the production of IL-6. The lower effect was attributed to the lack of the effect of GMP on epithelial cells. In conclusion, GMP exerts intestinal anti-inflammatory effects in lymphocyte-driven colitis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Caseins / therapeutic use*
  • Cattle
  • Colon / immunology
  • Colon / metabolism
  • Colon / pathology
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
  • Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
  • Ileum / immunology
  • Ileum / metabolism
  • Ileum / pathology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / immunology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / metabolism
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / pathology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / immunology*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Intestinal Mucosa / pathology
  • Mesenteric Lymphadenitis / etiology
  • Mesenteric Lymphadenitis / prevention & control
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neutrophil Infiltration
  • Peptide Fragments / therapeutic use*
  • Peroxidase / blood
  • Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Random Allocation
  • Weight Gain

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Biomarkers
  • Caseins
  • Gastrointestinal Agents
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • caseinomacropeptide
  • RAG-1 protein
  • Peroxidase