Immune Response~

IMMUNE RESPONSE FOR WHEY PROTEINS

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Dietary whey proteins have been reported to enhance the humoral immune response to sheep red blood cells as measured by plaque forming cells of the spleen of mice (Bounous and Kongshavn 1982, 1985; Bounous et al 1985;+ Bounous et al 1995). Wong and Watson (1995) found that dietary bovine whey proteins, either as a supplement or as the only protein source in the diet, consistently enhanced secondary humoral antibody responses in mice after immunization with ovalbumin. After 5-8 weeks of feeding dietary whey proteins, cell mediated immune response was found by spleen cell proliferation and foot-pad delayed-type hypersensitivity responses. Bounous and Kongshavn (1985) did not find any cell-mediated immune response after short term feeding of mice.

Glutathione (GSH), an ubiquitous tripeptide ( ?-glutamyl-cysteinyl-glycine), is believed to play a role in the body as an antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic agent and in the stabilization and repair of DNA (Bounous et al. 1989; Bounous and Gold (1991). The cellular level of glutathione in various tissues, including liver, spleen, thymus and colon, has been reported to be influenced by diet. In the study by McIntosh et al. (1995) the levels of glutathione in the thymus of rats fed a whey protein diet were higher than those fed either meat or soy diets.

An alternative mechanism may be that some specific proteins in the total whey protein system may provide specific immunomodulatory effects on cells of the immune system (Juto, 1985; Mincheva-Nielson 1990; Watson 1990; Gold, et al. , 1993; Wong and Watson 1995; Wong, et al. 1996b)

References

Bounous, G. (1994) Biologically active whey protein concentrate. U.S. Patent 5 290 571.

Bounous, G., Baruchel, S., Falutz, J. and Gold, P. (1993) Whey proteins as a food supplement in HIV seropositive individuals. Clin. Invest. Med. 16: 1285-1292.

Bounous, G., Batist, G. and Gold, P. (1989) Immunoenhancing property of dietary whey protein in mice: role of glutathione. Clin. Invest. Med. 12:204-209.

Bounous, G., and Gold, P. (1991) The biological activity of undenatured whey proteins : role of glutathione. Clin. Invet. Med. 14:296-309.

Bounous, G., Gold, P. and Kongshaven, P.A.L. (1995) Undenatured whey protein concentrate to improve active systemic immune response. U.S. Patent 541412.

Bounous, G. and Kongshavn, P.A.L. 1982. Influence of dietary proteins on the immune system of mice. J. Nutr. 112:1747-1755.

Bounous, G. and Kongshavn, P.A.L. (1985) Differential effect of dietary protein type on the B-cell and T-cell immune responses in mice. J. Nutr. 115: 1403-1408.

Bounous, G. and Kongshavn, P.A.L. and Gold, P. (1985) The Immunoenhancing property of dietary whey protein concentrate. Clin. Invest. Med. 11:271-278.

Bounous, G., Papenburg, R., Kongshavn, P.A.L, Gold, P. and Fleiszer, D. (1988b) Dietary whey protein inhibits the development of dimethylhydrazine induced malignancy, Clin. Invest. Med 11: 213-217.

Wong, C.W., Regester, G. O., Francis, G.L. and Watson, D. L. (1996b) Immunomodulatory activities of whey fraction in efferent prefermoral lymph of sheep. J. Dairy Res. 63:257-267.

Wong, C.W. and Watson, D.L. (1995) Immunomodulatory effects of dietary whey proteins in mice. J. Dairy Res. 62:359-368

04/29/04 Copyright © The Ohio State University, 2000 http://class.fst.ohio-state.edu/FST650/650index.htm

04/29/04
Copyright © The Ohio State University, 2000
http://class.fst.ohio-state.edu/FST650/650index.htm