Bovine milk enhances the oxidative burst activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in low concentrations

Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Nihon University School of Veterinary Medicine, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.

Abstract
Bovine milk contains various immunoreactive components, and the activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) function in breast-fed infants has been reported. In this study, the effect of milk on the oxidative burst of bovine PMNLs was investigated in vitro. When PMNLs were incubated with 0.1% colostrum or normal milk, the oxidative burst induced by serum-opsonized Staphylococcus aureus was enhanced, and the enhancement declined dose-dependently. The enhancement of the oxidative burst by milk was not due to opsonins but the priming activities. Also, the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced oxidative burst increased after incubation with 0.1% colostrum, but the colostral enhancement of the oxidative burst was unaffected by the incubation time. These results suggest that bovine milk contains oxidative burst promoting factor(s).

PMID: 12520103 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12520103